#the women said in ruth 4:15

[scripture-pictures]

[walkswithmyfather]

Ruth 1:15-17 (GNT). [15] So Naomi said to her, “Ruth, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her god. Go back home with her.” [16] But Ruth answered, “Don't ask me to leave you! Let me go with you. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. [17] Wherever you die, I will die, and that is where I will be buried. May the Lord's worst punishment come upon me if I let anything but death separate me from you!”

Ruth 4:13-17 (GNT). [13] “So Boaz took Ruth home as his wife. The Lord blessed her, and she became pregnant and had a son. [14] The women said to Naomi, “Praise the Lord! He has given you a grandson today to take care of you. May the boy become famous in Israel! [15] Your daughter-in-law loves you, and has done more for you than seven sons. And now she has given you a grandson, who will bring new life to you and give you security in your old age.” [16] Naomi took the child, held him close, and took care of him. [17] The women of the neighborhood named the boy Obed. They told everyone, “A son has been born to Naomi!” Obed became the father of Jesse, who was the father of David.”

“The Blessings of Loyalty” By In Touch Ministries:

“A decision to serve and love often comes with sacrifice, but it is always rewarded by God.”

“Ruth’s remarkable loyalty is what earned her a place in both the Bible and the lineage of Jesus (Matthew 1:1-5). Ruth is an example of faithfulness—she willingly adjusted her own life to meet the needs of her mother-in-law Naomi.

With no family left to care for her and no neighbors who shared her faith in God, Naomi found herself in a foreign land, far from the comfort of a familiar community. During that dark time, Ruth—her son’s widow—sacrificed everything to stay by Naomi’s side. The younger woman even chose to move to a foreign country and to worship Naomi’s God.

Ruth was undoubtedly aware of the risks involved in casting her lot with another woman in a male-dominated society, but she did so without hesitation. And her commitment did not end when they arrived in Israel. It was Ruth who kept the two women fed. And it was Ruth, under Naomi’s tutelage, who made an alliance with Boaz that secured their future.

Ruth sacrificed mightily for her mother-in-law, and as a result, God blessed her greatly. He loved her and gave her a husband, a home, and a child. Moreover, Ruth is counted among the ancestors of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. What an awesome testimony of the blessings bestowed on a loyal heart.”

[Photo thanks to Nathan Ziemanski at Unsplash]

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Alanna Vagianos at HuffPost:

Some people may believe that the end of Roe v. Wade was simply a matter of luck: Following the then-black swan event of Donald Trump winning the 2016 election, Trump got to appoint two Supreme Court Justices in his first two years and a third after an octogenarian passed away weeks before the 2020 election.

The court then had a 6-3 conservative supermajority, and that was that. But the project to overturn the federal right to abortion was much more calculated, involving an alliance of Republican groups aiming to reshape Congress, the courts and American life. And while conservatives may have won a huge battle, it’s not the end of their unholy war. That’s the story New York Times reporters Elizabeth Dias and Lisa Lerer tell in their new book, “The Fall of Roe,” a deeply reported accounting of the machinations of anti-abortion activists and lawmakers to reverse the 1973 ruling that reshaped both society and women’s lives. The book recounts the conservative network’s past victories, yes, but is also a window into the future, highlighting just how crucial November’s elections are for our rights and freedoms. That’s because if Trump wins a second term, this conservative coalition will bring even more litigation to strip away people’s rights — and would likely face a Supreme Court that’s even more untouchable than it is now.

The group most connected to Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the case that overturned Roe, is Alliance Defending Freedom, a far-right Christian advocacy group. But ADF certainly didn’t do it alone, per Dias and Lerer — correspondents on religion and politics, respectively. In many ways, two other organizations laid the groundwork for this victory: The Federalist Society, a judicial group that drafted a list of Trump’s Supreme Court nominees, judges Trump said were all opposed to Roe; and Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, an anti-abortion political group with an affiliated PAC.

And they’re all funded with massive amounts of dark money, including from billionaires like the Koch brothers. The 30,000-foot view is that these groups worked together to draft and pass unpopular state laws and have conservative lawyers defend them in front of friendly judges who had been confirmed to lifetime appointments by Republican senators. The network could use this playbook on any number of issues in the future. ADF wrote Mississippi’s 15-week abortion ban at issue in the Dobbs litigation. Dias and Lerer report that a conservative Wisconsin lawyer suggested crafting a ban at exactly 15 weeks basically as a dare for abortion rights proponents to challenge it, believing the Supreme Court would find the ban reasonable and gut Roe without fully overturning it.

The lawyer, Misha Tseytlin, allegedly floated the idea at a Trump victory party hosted by Federalist Society Chair Leonard Leo, and then someone connected to ADF heard it, and the organization had Tseytlin present his theory at a July 2017 ADF summit. (This story shows that conservatives picked 15 weeks not because of emerging medical research, but because abortion rights advocates had chosen not to sue over previous 20-week bans designed to challenge Roe.) ADF drafted a model bill, identified states that might pass it and that had anti-abortion attorneys general who would defend it, and started talking to lobbyists. Then-Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant (R) signed the 15-week ban into law in 2018, and litigation began. By the time the Supreme Court was considering taking the case, it was early September 2020. Then Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died, and Trump nominated Amy Coney Barrett, giving a 5-4 court a 6-3 conservative supermajority, with three Justices appointed by Trump — a president who lost the popular vote. The court agreed to hear the case in May 2021, and the rest is history.

That playbook worked for striking down Roe, but the coalition is not done. Dias and Lerer write that ADF, in particular, will “work to restore an understanding of marriage, the family and sexuality that reflects God’s creative order.” First, abortion opponents think Dobbs is not enough; they want a nationwide ban starting at egg fertilization.

[...] ADF also has its sights set on reversing the 2015 ruling establishing marriage equality, but Waggoner also seems to resent when journalists ask her about Obergefell v. Hodges. (That ruling was 5-4, and two of the Justices in the majority are no longer on the court — you only need four votes out of nine to take a case.) “I’m worried you’re gonna just use a choice little quote, and anybody that reads the article is going to think I’m abandoning Obergefell, and I am not,” she told The New Yorker. “I think it is wrong and it should be reversed, but I don’t wake up in the morning thinking about how to do that.” The group wants to roll back transgender rights in employment (Bostock v. Clayton County, 2020) and expand parental rights (Troxel v. Granville, 2000) so that parents can override the medical needs of their children with gender dysphoria, The New Yorker reports. ADF is also behind the rash of state laws banning gender-affirming care for minors and trans kids’ participation in sports — the group wrote model legislation. We’re watching a redux of the anti-abortion battle plan in real time. “It’s not that the Court is going to say, ‘Gender ideology is bad,’” Waggoner told The New Yorker. “But I do think the Court could say, ‘Parental rights are fundamental rights.’”

The Fall of Roe book by Elizabeth Dias and Lisa Lerer, a pair of New York Times reporters, takes a vital look at how anti-abortion activists delivered a win for their cause by overturning Roe in Dobbs and that they want more.

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Jacob Meets Esau

1 And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men. And he divided the children unto Leah, and unto Rachel, and unto the two handmaids.

2 And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost.

3 And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

4 And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.

5 And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children; and said, Who are those with thee? And he said, The children which God hath graciously given thy servant.

6 Then the handmaidens came near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves.

7 And Leah also with her children came near, and bowed themselves: and after came Joseph near and Rachel, and they bowed themselves.

8 And he said, What meanest thou by all this drove which I met? And he said, These are to find grace in the sight of my lord.

9 And Esau said, I have enough, my brother; keep that thou hast unto thyself.

10 And Jacob said, Nay, I pray thee, if now I have found grace in thy sight, then receive my present at my hand: for therefore I have seen thy face, as though I had seen the face of God, and thou wast pleased with me.

11 Take, I pray thee, my blessing that is brought to thee; because God hath dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough. And he urged him, and he took it.

12 And he said, Let us take our journey, and let us go, and I will go before thee.

13 And he said unto him, My lord knoweth that the children are tender, and the flocks and herds with young are with me: and if men should overdrive them one day, all the flock will die.

14 Let my lord, I pray thee, pass over before his servant: and I will lead on softly, according as the cattle that goeth before me and the children be able to endure, until I come unto my lord unto Seir.

15 And Esau said, Let me now leave with thee some of the folk that are with me. And he said, What needeth it? let me find grace in the sight of my lord.

16 So Esau returned that day on his way unto Seir.

17 And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built him an house, and made booths for his cattle: therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.

Jacob Camps in Shechem

18 And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padanaram; and pitched his tent before the city.

19 And he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for an hundred pieces of money.

20 And he erected there an altar, and called it EleloheIsrael. — Genesis 33 | King James Version (KJV) The King James Version Bible is in the public domain. Cross References: Genesis 12:6; Genesis 25:20; Genesis 27:39; Genesis 27:40; Genesis 29:11; Genesis 29:13; Genesis 30:43; Genesis 32:3; Genesis 32:5-6; Genesis 32:13; Genesis 32:32; Genesis 34:1; Genesis 42:6; Genesis 43:26; Genesis 48:9; Joshua 13:27; Judges 8:5; Ruth 2:13; Ruth 4:13; 1 Samuel 1:18; 1 Samuel 6:10; Psalm 78:71; Jeremiah 50:12; John 4:5; John 4:20; Acts 7:16; 2 Corinthians 9:5

Audio Bible - Genesis Chapter 33 (KJV)

A Parting Of Ways

[inthepoemsandthesands]

feminine rage

i was 11

crying over the loss of a friend

"boys and girls are just different" my mom told me

was it helpful or trivializing

i'm still not sure

i was 12

they told us something like 1 in 4 girls are assaulted

we looked around the room

wondering who it might be

terrified of the answer

they told us what the men are looking for

our eyes turned on ourselves

we didn't want to make ourselves more of a target

i was 13

during a self-defense class at church

we learned how to hit, how to kick

how to pop a man's eyes out of his head

barely a teenager

and they told me to hit the dummy like i really meant it

i was 13

ruth bader ginsburg died, and i cried

i rarely cried over anything then

but i cried over her

trump was already trying to replace her that night

i was 14

sitting in the front of the car

while my brothers in the back

made a joke about sexual assault

i wanted to scream at them

but i didn't

i was 14

we were working on a story about the dress code

one of the girls mentioned

that it hadn't mattered what she was wearing

my heart broke

i was 15

i watched as they stripped my right to my body

as people around me celebrated

what happened to my choice

a boy asked me to stop talking about it

for the girls in our class to stop using dark humor

as our only coping mechanism

said it made him uncomfortable

he still has all his rights

i am 16

a friend calls while she is running

just to feel safer

i have to explain to the boys in the room

that she didnt want to talk

she wanted to not be a target

i am 16

my brother says that sometimes

women are so annoying

he just wants to shoot them

i'm not sure he doesn't mean it

i am 16

"it must be his time of the month"

one boy jokes about another acting irrationally

it isn't funny

but i sit in silence anyways

i don't want to be accused of being emotional, too

i am 16

"men's lives are more challenging" he argues

he ignores every point we make

he was never going to listen

but we still try, desperately

finally our teacher shuts us down

i want to yell or cry or do anything to release the rage bottling up inside

the rage that runs through my veins

all of our veins

when they belittle us and take away our rights and make us feel weak

and we let them

because it's all they ever taught us to do

[albertfinch]

THE GOD OF RESTORATION

"I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the crawling locust, the consuming locust, and the chewing locust, my great army which I sent among you" (Joel 2:25).

Since we serve a God of restoration, we might ask the question: "What can God restore?" The answer is that God can restore everything that has been lost; nothing is impossible with Him (see Luke 1:37). Whatever has been lost in your life, whatever has been stolen, and whatever has been taken from you, God is able to restore it. Not only that, but whatever you have willingly given up for God can be restored too.

And Jesus  promises, "Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life" (Matthew 19:29). In other words, what we give up, God gives back.

What have you sacrificed?  Have you given up money or time? What has been taken from you – your health, your joy, your marriage, or your business? 

BELIEVE THAT GOD IS ABOUT TO RESTORE WHAT THE ENEMY HAS TAKEN FROM YOU:

How wonderful it is to cling to God's promises and know that He restores strength, energy, passion, and motivation, even in old age. The women said to Naomi toward the end of her life, after she had lost her husband and her sons: "And may [God] be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age" (Ruth 4:15).

God can restore your flesh: "Then God said, “Put your hand back inside your cloak.” So he put his hand back inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, it was restored like the rest of his flesh." (Exodus 4:7).

If you have lost property, then know that God is able to restore that as well: "So David said to him, 'Do not fear, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father's sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your grandfather; and you shall eat bread at my table continually'" (2 Samuel 9:7).

Positions can be restored too: "Then he restored the chief butler to his butlership again, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand" (Genesis 40:21).

Our God of mercy, compassion, and love can restore those who fall: "Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted" (Galatians 6:1). So, not only does God restore our lives, but He then uses us to bring restoration to others. To say it another way, Paul said, "[He] comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God" (2 Corinthians 1:4).

If our health has been taken away, then know that God is the One who restores our health. He said through Jeremiah, "'For I will restore health to you and heal you of your wounds,' says the Lord" (Jeremiah 30:17).

Finances can also be restored as seen in Genesis 42:25: "Then Joseph gave a command to fill their sacks with grain, to restore every man's money to his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey."

God even promises to restore the damages that have taken place in our soul – our mind, will, and emotions – so that we can prosper once again: "He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake" (Psalm 23:3), and, "Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers" (3 John 1:2).

If we become discouraged, we must remember that God is the One who restores our joy: "Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit" (Psalm 51:12). The joy of the Lord is our strength – if we lose our joy, we lose our strength.

ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

[psalmonesermons]

Pentecost or Shavuot?

Guest blogger Linda Morris (aka Batnabas)

What is the difference? Is it important? Those of you who know me, or have read other things I have written, will not be surprised that my answer is ‘Yes.’ An emphatic ‘Yes.’ Because this is partially to blame for the church – in general – moving away from its Hebraic roots.

Pentecost is an important date in the Christian calendar. We sing songs proclaiming that God poured out His Holy Spirit on that day and “the church was born.” You will hear people preaching the same. Well it was not, and I am sorry if this offends you. But I am not apologising for it.

Jesus did NOT come to start a new religion. Neither did Paul.

The crowd in Jerusalem, in Acts chapter 2 were primarily Jews, but some gentiles (non-Jews) would have been there too. We know that the disciples plus Jews and others who had accepted Jesus as their Messiah were among them. The reason they were there was to fulfil the Biblical command to observe the feast of Shavuot. They were to present the firstfruits of the wheat harvest to God (Lev 22:15-17). Nowadays, it also represents the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai. So they celebrate God’s provision for them physically and spiritually at Shavuot.

They received another gift from God that day – the Holy Spirit!

Jesus is called the firstfruits (1 Cor 15:23).

At Shavuot, the Book of Ruth is read, mainly because it is a story about a harvest, but it also tells the story of Ruth, a Moabite woman, joining herself to the Jews. This gives a little hint that God would join the gentiles to His people in the future, through Jesus. Ruth is one of 4 women mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus, who were all gentiles. The only other woman in this list was His mother, Mary, who of course was Jewish.

Ruth said, “your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.”

Ruth joined herself to the Jews, but many Christians have at best, separated themselves from the Jews, and at worst turned against them, even hating them. The beginning of this was in the 4th century at the Council of Nicea when the church split from its Jewish roots. One of the results of this is that some years there can be a gap of a few weeks between the Jews celebrating Passover and the Christians celebrating Easter, depending on our calendars.

Another is the erroneous teaching that the Jews were unfaithful to God, therefore He broke His Covenant with them and replaced them with the church! This is called ‘Replacement Theology’ and is quite rife in the Christian church.

Don’t you see? If God broke His Covenant with the Jews He can just as easily break His Covenant with us! Are Christians perfect? Are we always faithful to Him? If we believe that God breaks His Covenants, then what are we doing going to church?

If He is not a Covenant-keeping God, then we are wasting our time!

Unfortunately, we have lost a lot by casting off our root, particularly in the area of understanding the Bible. I have often thought that as Christians we just float along the surface in Bible study. By discovering and accepting our Hebraic roots we gain such a deeper understanding of Scripture, of God, of Jesus. It brings the Bible to life.

Tom Bradford, a Bible teacher in America, has said that ‘even open-minded Bible commentary writers find themselves at the end of a promising road to new discoveries of the Bible because they are unwilling to pursue it. It could be disruptive to the inner workings of the institutional church.’ He also says that in recent years there has been an upsurge internationally in Christians turning to Hebraic Roots teaching which he attributes to the Holy Spirit. So it seems that many Christians are realising that there is so much to gain, so much to learn. I cannot recommend it highly enough. Once you start, you wonder why you did not do it sooner.

I am not in any way advocating that we all convert to Judaism. That is a backward step. The Messianic Jewish movement (Jews who have accepted Jesus as their Messiah) is growing rapidly in Israel and among Jewish communities in other countries. When people in the UK accept Jesus, they say ‘the prayer’ committing their lives to Jesus and approach the faith through Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Messianic Jews have the whole story. The Covenant with God, the ‘Law and Prophets’ (The Tanakh – our Old Testament) which tells the whole story of God’s love for His people and the promised Messiah. We are not New Testament people – we are Bible people. It is a fascinating book, and you will discover and be amazed and excited by all the new things you can learn when you look at it in its Hebraic setting. If you need help with how to access this aspect of Bible study let us know and we will be glad to guide you.

Amen

Prayer

[theblogofruth]

"The Fame." From the Book of Ruth 4: 13-17.

Ruth "the friendly vision" gets married and bears a son to her husband, Boaz. They name him Obed, "the employee", who as it turns out is King David's grandfather. Recall the Shoftim ended stating everyone was running amok because Israel lacked a king. That condition was to persist for two more generations.

Even still the proper process of transmission of our Jewish traditions called Moabites was supposed to have continued. The Book of Ruth says children born in the midst of a traditional Jewish environment have the distinction of one day being called a "guardian redeemer", and attain to fame. We know how that turned out. Fortunately, the story is not over:

Naomi Gains a Son

13 So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When he made love to her, the Lord enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. 

14 The women said to Naomi: “Praise be to the Lord, who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel! 

15 He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth.”

16 Then Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him. 17 The women living there said, “Naomi has a son!” And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.

The Values in Gematria are:

v. 13: The Lord enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. The Number is 7239, זבגט‎, zavgat, "the zygote." Zygotes are the first stage of the unity between the sperm and the egg. While the occasion is momentous it is not enough to have unity, there must be direction and purpose for the new life.

v. 14: May he become famous throughout all israel. Fame is the subject of Shemeni, which names Four Strengths associated with fame:

Four Strengths.

14 The Lord said to Moses in the Desert of Sinai, 15 “Count the Levites by their families and clans. Count every male a month old or more.” 16 So Moses counted them, as he was commanded by the word of the Lord.

Israelites are sojourners that culminate in Levites, the Dwellers in the Village of the Fountain also called Canaan the Place of Purple.

17 These were the names of the sons of Levi:

Gershon, Kohath and Merari.

Gershon= “sojourner”

Kohath= “congregation”

Merari= “sad, bitter, or strong”

18 These were the names of the Gershonite clans:

Libni and Shimei.

Libni= “white”

Shimei= “that hears, obeys, also reputation or fame.”

The Number is 8679, חוזט‎‎, huzat, "carry out the contract and distribute the wealth."

In addition to the fact all the world's religions require high human rights standards, they are legally required. One cannot toggle in between having and not having, enforcing or not enforcing these standards, which are found in the UN Declaration of Human Rights. Every nation on the planet is expected to uphold the Declaration. Sovereigns, presidents, prime ministers and other public and private individuals who fail to adhere to standards of human equality named in this document can and should be arrested and tried in public.

v15: Who is better than Seven Sons? The Number is 14126, ידיבו‎‎. "His kindness."

Chesed is considered the greatest wealth of a society. As with its major metaphor in Judaism, the only effort required is like milking a cow. Once one cultivates the desire to spread kindness all one has to do is stroke other persons and it flow freely.

v. 16: The Father of David. The number is 7945, ע‎טדה‎ ‎, atda, "be ready, be prepared for the future."

The future is never what it used to be. The world changed dramatically after the Russians were allowed to invade Ukraine, then it changed again after the United States Government allowed Trump supporters, the Mormons to attack Israel on on October 7, 2023 in an attempt to continue its long stalled out holocaust against the Jewish people and frame the world's Muslims for the attack.

Now the future has to include corrective actions for these past mistakes before we can plan on much else, and this, as you have all seen is going slowly, so slowly.

The prophet predicts the return of King David, a commitment to persistent beauty is the answer to all of this. Recall David was the most famous person in the Torah, and this was not an accident.

From Chronicles 14:

13 Once more the Philistines raided the valley; 14 so David inquired of God again, and God answered him, “Do not go directly after them, but circle around them and attack them in front of the poplar trees. 15 As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the poplar trees, move out to battle, because that will mean God has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army.” 16 So David did as God commanded him, and they struck down the Philistine army, all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.

17 So David’s fame spread throughout every land, and the Lord made all the nations fear him.

No one is afraid of the repurcussions of their actions in Ukraine, Israel, or in America where no body knows what the fuck is going on or why. All around the world very stupid people are oppressing the wise and it is supposed to be the other way around. To allow someone dumber than you to oppress you is the very cause of infamy. Now that we know what has to be done to become famous, we should not wait.

These incidents, these issues violate all of our principals. They did from the onset. God told David to destroy his enemies from Gibeon to Gezer, "from the summit down, like a very sharp knife, cut into it until it bleeds balsam."

The world has been remiss, and now it has change. Enough blood has been shed for the purposes of injustice, now just as God says, the tide has to be turned, and then let the balsam, justice and freedom flow.

[mattanaministry]

Mattana Ministry Welcomes You To:

Sunday Sermon:

Theme: Mothers of the Bible

Music:

https://youtu.be/OmxtnAZlWyI

https://youtu.be/N7JigVVsYg8

Scripture: Gen.3:6;Gen.3:16; Gen.3:23; Gen.18:12-13; Gen.21:6; Gen.27:15-16; Gen.27:44-45; Ruth 4:15; 1 Sam.1:10; 1 Sam.1:20; Luk.1:44 & John.19:25

Message:

Today, we celebrate Mother's Day. A day that pays our tribute to all mothers We can talk for hours about our mothers, but let's see in the Bible what types of mothers were there. We will look at seven different types of mothers and at seven women's influence on their circumstances.

We start with Eve, who baptized the disobedient Mother:

Gen. 3:6

And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

Eve did not listen to God and disobeyed God. Instead, Eve lent her ears to the cunning snake and saw only what was in front of her eyes. The tree with the pretty fruit. Eve did not come up with the implications of her disobedience.

Gen. 3:16

Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

Gen. 3:23

Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.

Eve's disobedience caused children to be produced with difficulty. Adam and Eve were sent from the Garden of Eden. The peace, love, and harmony that existed at the beginning of creation were disturbed. Man must now work for whatever he or she wants, and the relationship between God and man has been disturbed. To this day, humanity is paying the price for Eve's disobedience.

Are we obedient or disobedient to God? Are our children and our loved ones paying the price for our disobedience? Our disobedience can have consequences for our descendants. Disobedience can be something like having to raise our children according to God's word, but we don't. It may even be that little voice warning us that there is danger around the corner, but because we are in a hurry, we are not listening. What consequences do we have for Mom's disobedience? Eve only saw the fruit; what do we see?

We are now going to look at Sarah, baptized the laughing mom:

Gen.18:12-13

Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?

And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?

Sarah's faith was measured by her laughter. Sara laughed at the prediction that she would give birth to a son. Sarah's laughter and her disbelief were proven wrong.

Gen.21:6

And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.

Sara laughed and was disbelieving in her laughter. Yet God blessed Sarah with a son at a very late age. Isaac is the son who was promised to Abraham.

Are we laughing—a laughter of mockery or of joy? Does our laughter sound like a sign of our unbelief, or is it a sign of our faith? Is our laughter at our children and families a sign of joy or a sign of mockery?

Now let's look at Rebekah, baptized the conniving mom:

Gen.27:15-16

And Rebekah took goodly raiment of her eldest son Esau, which were with her in the house, and put them upon Jacob her younger son:

And she put the skins of the kids of the goats upon his hands, and upon the smooth of his neck:

Rebekah contrived to let Jacob receive the blessing. Rebekah only wants the best for her favorite son and devises a cunning plan to acquire it for him. Jacob receives the blessing, but there are consequences for him and Rebekah.

Gen.27:44-45

And tarry with him a few days, until thy brother’s fury turn away:

Until thy brother’s anger turn away from thee, and he forget that which thou hast done to him: then I will send, and fetch thee from thence: why should I be deprived also of you both in one day?

Rebekah wanted the best for Jacob, but for his own safety, she must now send him to his uncle. Rebekah isn't there when Jacob gets married to one of his wives; she's not there to know and share his children. not to spend time. Rebekah, with her cunning plan, lost many years with Jacob and his family.

We, as moms, also just always want the best for our children. It could possibly be the best marks in the class, or maybe a spot on the first team. However, how do we help our children to be the best? Do we motivate them to do their best, or do we help them obtain it in a cunning way? We must always remember that there are consequences for our cunning plans.

Now let's look at Naomi, the blessed mom:

Ruth 4:15

And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him.

Naomi is the blessed mom; her obedience has blessed her. Naomi did what she had to do; she turned back to her own people. Naomi held on to her faith during the hard times. Naomi is blessed with Obed, her godson. We all know that Obed is part of Jesus' family tree.

Now let's look at Hannah, the praying mom:

1 Sam. 1:10

And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore.

Hannah was very sad year after year. She was ridiculed year after year for not being able to bear any children. Hannah sat down in the temple and prayed and wept in such a way that Eli thought she was under the influence of wine and addressed her about it.

1 Sam. 1:20

Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD.

Hannah prayed to have a child and was blessed with Samuel. Samuel grows up in the temple and is taught by Eli. Samuel was also a judge for Israel until his death.

What do our prayers look like for our children? Do we pray for our children? Our prayers carry weight for our children. Our prayers are the very ones they carry throughout the day.

Let's look at Elizabeth, the believing mom.

Luk.1:44

For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.

Elizabeth believed everything that happened at this time. She was immediately filled with the Holy Spirit when Mary walked in her door. Elizabeth didn't wonder if she understood anything correctly; she didn't wonder if Zechariah had the angel correctly. Elizabeth believed it. Elizabeth raised John in this unshakable faith.

How far does our faith carry our children? Do we have enough faith some days to carry us and our children? When that math exam is at the door, do we have enough faith to give our children courage? Is our faith contagious among our children?

Now let's look at Mary, the devoted mom:

John.19:25

Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.

Mary was a devoted mother; she was there from the very beginning of Jesus' life on earth. In difficult circumstances, Mary gave birth to Jesus. Mary had a great task on her hands; she raised and taught Jesus. Mary even followed Jesus until the death of the cross and was there in those difficult final moments of Jesus' life. Jesus' life and teaching were not easy, and Jesus was always under a magnifying glass, yet Mary was always somewhere in the background.

Our children can get tough; they can get into trouble. They may become rebellious about the events of the world. Are we there to help them fit all the puzzle pieces together? Do we always believe only the best about our children? Do we trust that our children will always be safe?

What type of mom are we? We can be more than one of these types of moms at a time. Do we always do what is best for our children? Does our faith carry us, do we pray for our children, and are we devoted (even though we feel that, like Abraham, we sometimes want to sacrifice them)? Do we acknowledge and recognize that we have been blessed by our children? Are we perhaps the disobedient, laughing, and conniving moms?

Prayer:

Father, thank you for all the mother figures in our lives. Lord, help us as mothers to please always consider our children's interests important. Jesus, please help us raise our children for Your glory. Father, please guide us on the right path this week, and please forgive us for our sins. In Jesus Name, Amen

Please feel free to leave a review of this message.

https://www.soulcenters.org/directory/mattana-ministry/#listing-reviews

MM

[craftylovegentlemen]

The Bible Old Testament

Ruth

Chapter 4

1 Then went Boaz up to the gate, and sat him down there: and, behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by; unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down. 2 And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down. 3 And he said unto the kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab, selleth a parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech's: 4 And I thought to advertise thee, saying, Buy it before the inhabitants, and before the elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it: but if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know: for there is none to redeem it beside thee; and I am after thee. And he said, I will redeem it. 5 Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance. 6 And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: redeem thou my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem it. 7 Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing, for to confirm all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbour: and this was a testimony in Israel. 8 Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee. So he drew off his shoe. 9 And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's, of the hand of Naomi. 10 Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day.

11 And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. The LORD make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem: 12 And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which the LORD shall give thee of this young woman. 13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bare a son. 14 And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the LORD, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel. 15 And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him. 16 And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it. 17 And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David. 18 Now these are the generations of Pharez: Pharez begat Hezron, 19 And Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab, 20 And Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon, 21 And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed, 22 And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.

Ruth 4

Diane Beauford

[lordgodjehovahsway]

Ruth 4: Boaz Tries To Get The Guardian-Redeemer To Buy Naomi's Property

1 Meanwhile Boaz went up to the town gate and sat down there just as the guardian-redeemer he had mentioned came along. Boaz said, “Come over here, my friend, and sit down.” So he went over and sat down.

2 Boaz took ten of the elders of the town and said, “Sit here,” and they did so. 

3 Then he said to the guardian-redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from Moab, is selling the piece of land that belonged to our relative Elimelek. 

4 I thought I should bring the matter to your attention and suggest that you buy it in the presence of these seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, do so. But if you will not, tell me, so I will know. For no one has the right to do it except you, and I am next in line.”

“I will redeem it,” he said.

5 Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the land from Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the dead man’s widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property.”

6 At this, the guardian-redeemer said, “Then I cannot redeem it because I might endanger my own estate. You redeem it yourself. I cannot do it.”

7 (Now in earlier times in Israel, for the redemption and transfer of property to become final, one party took off his sandal and gave it to the other. This was the method of legalizing transactions in Israel.)

8 So the guardian-redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it yourself.” And he removed his sandal.

9 Then Boaz announced to the elders and all the people, “Today you are witnesses that I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelek, Kilion and Mahlon. 

10 I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite, Mahlon’s widow, as my wife, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property, so that his name will not disappear from among his family or from his hometown. Today you are witnesses!”

11 Then the elders and all the people at the gate said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the family of Israel. May you have standing in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem. 

12 Through the offspring the Lord gives you by this young woman, may your family be like that of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah.”

Naomi Gains a Son

13 So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When he made love to her, the Lord enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. 

14 The women said to Naomi: “Praise be to the Lord, who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel! 

15 He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth.”

16 Then Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him. 

17 The women living there said, “Naomi has a son!” And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.

The Genealogy of David

18 This, then, is the family line of Perez:

Perez was the father of Hezron,

19 Hezron the father of Ram,

Ram the father of Amminadab,

20 Amminadab the father of Nahshon,

Nahshon the father of Salmon,

21 Salmon the father of Boaz,

Boaz the father of Obed,

22 Obed the father of Jesse,

and Jesse the father of David.

[saras-devotionals]

Devotional 2/7

A STRONG SISTERHOOD

"When sisters stand shoulder to shoulder, who stands a chance against us?" - Pam Brown

sisterhood - the relationship between sisters, community of women - linked by a common interest or religion

it pleases God to see us together

Ecclesiastes 4:9 NLT "Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed."

God created us to be unified

healthy and mutual dependence

God did not create us to independent or codependent

if not in harmony:

what can stop us from connecting with each other?

our relationship with our mother

I love my mother, and her love to me has always been something I'm grateful for, I'm not resentful to her for anything, but I do worry that I might not be a great mother and that hurts

she is co-dependent!

our siblings - physical sisters

I don't know my sister that well, we're 22 years apart. I see her maybe once a year. we're practically strangers.

friends

my trust has been betrayed by my ex best friend before. i was teased and picked at. boundaries have been crossed. this hurt a lot for quite a few years. but i learned that people grow apart and i made peace with it

one of my closest friends also went missing last year and I don't think I fully processed that.

authority figures

unapproachable, intimidating. i can't think of any female authority figures in my life that really affected me.

how has you previous experience with women affected and influenced in the kingdom today?

I think with my ex best friend, I still have some residual hurt from her.

I'm very disconnected from my physical sister.

My mother is quite codependent of me.

Ruth 1:15-19 NLT

"“Look,” Naomi said to her, “your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods. You should do the same.” But Ruth replied, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!” When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she said nothing more. So the two of them continued on their journey. When they came to Bethlehem, the entire town was excited by their arrival. “Is it really Naomi?” the women asked."

we see loyalty, selfless love, a deep bond, respect, compassion

Exodus 1:15-17 NLT

"Then Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, gave this order to the Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah: “When you help the Hebrew women as they give birth, watch as they deliver. If the baby is a boy, kill him; if it is a girl, let her live.” But because the midwives feared God, they refused to obey the king’s orders. They allowed the boys to live, too."

they had deep convictions, women of integrity, righteous, noble, revered God together, wise, super intelligent

Matthew 28:1, 8-10 NLT

Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to visit the tomb.

The women ran quickly from the tomb. They were very frightened but also filled with great joy, and they rushed to give the disciples the angel’s message. And as they went, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they ran to him, grasped his feet, and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t be afraid! Go tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there.”

sold out, devoted, committed, cared about God, valued their relationship with their savior - they ran to him, true worshippers, gratitude, joy

You have to connect with yourself and God first at a heart level before connecting with other people

PRACTICALS

set up weekly prayer times/have prayer partners

write a sisterhood goal list for 2024

what do I want to do to be a better sister

write and reflect on your bad experiences from the past and find scriptures for them

get God's perspective on sisterhood

share your weaknesses and struggles with one another

comfort her with God's word

jump into bible studies, share your faith together!

call out sin in love (!)

sometimes we're afraid to hurt each other but we need to call out each other in love

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Ruth's Loyalty to Naomi

14 Again they wept aloud, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her.

15 “Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and her gods; follow her back home.”

16 But Ruth replied:

“Do not urge me to leave you or to turn from following you. For wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you live, I will live; your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.

17 Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD punish me, and ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.”

18 When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped trying to persuade her.

The Return to Bethlehem

19 So Naomi and Ruth traveled until they came to Bethlehem. When they entered Bethlehem, the whole city was stirred because of them, and the women of the city exclaimed, “Can this be Naomi?”

20 “Do not call me Naomi,” she replied. “Call me Mara, because the Almightyd has dealt quite bitterly with me. 21 I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? After all, the LORD has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me.”

22 So Naomi returned from the land of Moab with her daughter-in-law Ruth the Moabitess. And they arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest. — Ruth 1:15-22 | Berean Standard Bible (BSB) Berean Standard Bible (BSB) © 2016, 2020 by Bible Hub and Berean.Bible. All rights Reserved. Cross References: Exodus 6:3; Exodus 9:31; Exodus 15:23; Leviticus 23:10-11; Joshua 24:15; Judges 11:24; Ruth 2:12; Ruth 4:15; 1 Samuel 3:17; 1 Samuel 14:44; Job 1:21; Job 6:4; Job 10:17; Job 30:11; Matthew 21:10; Acts 21:14

[mrshcloset]

God Is More than Enough

The women living there said, “Naomi has a son!” And they named him Obed. Ruth 4:17

READ Ruth 4:9–17

LISTEN ONLINE

Ellen was on a tight budget, so she was glad to receive a Christmas bonus. That would have been enough, but when she deposited the money, she received another surprise. The teller said that as a Christmas present the bank had deposited her January mortgage payment into her account. Now she and Trey could pay other bills and bless someone else with a Christmas surprise!

God has a way of blessing us beyond what we expect. Naomi was bitter and broken by the death of her husband and sons (Ruth 1:20–21). Her desperate situation was rescued by Boaz, a relative who married her daughter-in-law Ruth and provided a home for her and Naomi (4:10).

That might have been all Naomi could hope for. But then God blessed Ruth and Boaz with a son. Now Naomi had a grandson to “renew [her] life and sustain [her] in [her] old age” (v. 15). That would have been enough. As the women of Bethlehem put it, “Naomi has a son!” (v. 17). Then little Obed grew—and became “the father of Jesse, the father of David” (v. 17). Naomi’s family belonged to Israel’s royal line, the most important dynasty in history! That would have been enough. David, however, became the ancestor of . . . Jesus.

If we believe in Christ, we’re in a similar position to Naomi. We had nothing until He redeemed us. Now we’re fully accepted by our Father, who blesses us to bless others. That’s so much more than enough.

By Mike Wittmer

REFLECT & PRAY

When has God blessed you beyond what you imagined? How has He shown you that He’s more than enough?

Jesus, You’re more than enough for me.

SCRIPTURE INSIGHT

The story of Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz takes place during the period of the judges (Ruth 1:1). Though we don’t know which judge presided during the days of Ruth, the contrast between the events of the book of Judges and the story of Naomi and Ruth’s redemption is striking. During a time when “everyone did as they saw fit” (Judges 21:25) and “did evil in the eyes of the Lord” (a phrase used seven times in Judges; see 2:11; 3:7,12; 4:1; 6:1; 10:6; 13:1 ), Boaz looked out for the good of another—a foreigner. In a setting of selfishness lies a story of compassion and grace.J.R. Hudberg

[roses-red-and-pink]

Advent day 10: Ruth and Boaz

Readings: Ruth 2;1-8

2 And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter.

3 And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech.

4 And, behold, Boaz came from Beth-lehem, and said unto the reapers, The Lord be with you. And they answered him, The Lord bless thee.

5 Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel is this?

6 And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said, It is the Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab:

7 And she said, I pray you, let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves: so she came, and hath continued even from the morning until now, that she tarried a little in the house.

8 Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens:

Ruth 4:13-17

13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the Lord gave her conception, and she bare a son.

14 And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the Lord, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel.

15 And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him.

16 And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it.

17 And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.

[nekonekochan]

Ruth 4:9-17

New King James Version

1 And Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses this day that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s, and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s, from the hand of Naomi. 10 Moreover, Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon, I have acquired as my wife, to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brethren and from [a]his position at the gate. You are witnesses this day.”

11 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; and may you prosper in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem. 12 May your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring which the Lord will give you from this young woman.”

Descendants of Boaz and Ruth

13 So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife; and when he went in to her, the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son. 14 Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a [b]close relative; and may his name be famous in Israel! 15 And may he be to you a restorer of life and a [c]nourisher of your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you, who is better to you than seven sons, has borne him.” 16 Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her bosom, and became a nurse to him. 17 Also the neighbor women gave him a name, saying, “There is a son born to Naomi.” And they called his name Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David.