Ruth: Parent Prayers

Super quick! I'm back! Well, Ruth is only four chapters lol. Soooooo here we are! 

I'll explain what I mean by parent prayers at the end... Here are my nuggets from Ruth!

She is the great grandmother to King David. 

She was a Moabitess, the Moabites held Israel in captivity for 18 years. The Moabites were one of the cursed people created through Lott's daughters. 

There was a famine in Canaan (the land of milk and honey). Israel had brought death to their promise by all their apostasy. 

Israelites were not to marry Canaanites and we see here they had transgressed that law many times over. 

Ruth being a Moabitess lived a pagan life. However, after her husband died, she was willing to adjust, change her entire life to be with Naomi and accept the Israelite God. After Rahab, this is the second woman on record laying down a pagan lifestyle to join the Israelite life. 

She was patient, humble, a stranger and because of her sacrifice she gained favor. 

Good that is done will be recognized, maybe not today or in this lifetime but, it will be in eternity. 

There are blessings stored up for us behind the scenes. God works in the unseen places just as much as He Does in the open places.

Ruth must have been gorgeous because *without delay* Boaz went to the elders at the gate to discuss his kinsmen redeemer possessions. 

Bethlehem became famous due to the blessing given to Boaz and Ruth. 

Boaz was Rahab's son. (THIS RIGHT HERE IS HUGE)

Parent prayers. I think all prayers are important but, out of a parent's heart there comes a different cry. I think back to Samson's parents. They knew their son had a call on his life and they called on the Lord multiple times to seek guidance how to raise him to please the Lord and to make sure he reached his purpose on Earth. I think for those parents who stay in a prayerful lifestyle, God shows them things that their children don't even know about their lives. And because of this, many times the children can refuse their advice because they don't know and see what their parents know and see. Naomi thought God had left her and cursed her because her husband had passed as well as her sons. She thought her family was over. But what I love about her is even though she FELT like that, she continued to DO things for Ruth and POSITION Ruth to receive promotion and blessing in the form of a new husband. Naomi was the reason (besides God) for Ruth meeting and receiving Boaz as her husband. Naomi could have easily allowed her situation to control her and keep her from going back home. But she didn't. She had the best for Ruth in mind during this hard season for herself. Mothers know. Parents know. I think parents (good parents) see their children through eyes that are looking at potential and purpose instead of what looks good at the moment or through gain. I'm not saying parents know everything or are right in everything but I think when it comes to their children, they try their hardest to do right for them and to them and give advice according to their children's calling, purpose and potential not based on their own wishes and path. If this isn't the case for all parents, Naomi's story has shown me what kind of parent I want to be. 

Judges: Leadership

It almost won. I came close to saying that along with Deuteronomy, Judges was going to tie with the Deut and be another favorite book of mine from the O.T. but, due to it's ending whoof! No thanks. Deuteronomy still has first place. However, leadership is a very close topic to my heart and Judges showed me so much about leadership. I feel like it's one of my callings besides teaching. Judges was super entertaining and had a lot of cool stories in it that I had no clue that was located in that book. Here's so nuggets from the Judges! "A generation arose that knew not the Lord" - This hit hard in my heart. For all that God had done to save the Israelites bringing them out of Egypt, giving them a route through a body of water, performing miracle after miracle, He instructed Moses of ONE THING. Keep my commandments and teach the people to always remember the things that I have done for them. Here in this scripture we see that along the way, after Joshua, the people quit talking about God, discussing the blessings that He had given them and quit recalling all that the Lord had done for them. This sets up the stories to follow of all the destruction and moral corruption that is to take place over the next few years. So bad, it had crept into the very Levites who were the ministers at this time. THE CHURCH HAD BECOME CORRUPT. Because they had taken their minds off of God. So a generation was born and raised without any knowledge of God. We cannot afford to forget God. God will always raise up a standard amidst wickedness. Without leadership, people are left to do what is right according to their own eyes. God is a God of covenant. When God is in control there is peace. When God is not in control there is bondage. Deborah - First woman recognized with authority. She was a leader. She heard from God and the Israelites followed and respected her leadership. God does not forsake us. We forsake him. Gideon was the least in his family. Jerubaal: Let Baal Plead (Gideon was renamed Let the Devil Plead) How freaking awesome is this?!?! Ishmael and Midian were half brothers from Hagar. Back then in their culture you were known by your jewelry. Where there is no accountability, there is no right-standing. From our ears our hearts are led. Impatience and wrongly given positions to those not called to those positions can bring destruction. God gives choice. Meaning with free will He ultimately allows the choices to be made because He has to according to His Word. God allowed Abimelek to lead for 3 years but, in season, He removed Abimelek in leadership. Men of Schechem - the very ones who helped plot the murders, were the very onces to first turn on Abimelek. What distracts our hearts can bring death to our body. God permits the reaping of what has been sown good or bad. God does not forgive mere words. Jephath's daughter was the first nun. By this time, Israel had turned on God eight times. Back and forth with serving and worshiping the Lord. (backsliding) Sight of the Lord - sometimes the world will tell us what we are doing and how we are living is okay, but, the world shouldn't be as believers what we look to, it's the Lord we should be aiming to please. His sight and the World's sight are two different things. God gave Samson a calling from the Womb. Marriage was celebrated for 7 days!!!! A week long feast!!!!! Samson - a man of strength had very childish behavior always trying to take vengeance which wasn't his. Samson's desires always got him in trouble. Delilah was given $3500 for cutting Samson's hair and revealing his strength. Satan's temptation comes in the form of things we like. Goodness doesn't follow the works of Christianity, goodness follows the faith in Christ. Moral Corruption follows backsliding. Civil strife begins among Israel and we see the Tribe of Benjamin almost entirely cut off. Even in anger we must be just and fair. When we shield criminals we become party to the crime. When we shield wrong-doing we become party to the sin. So we see that ALLLLLLLLLL OF THIS mess happened because of what I stated at the beginning.... "a generation arose that knew not the Lord"

Joshua : Take Courage

It took me a little time to get started back in Joshua.... After Moses died I was a little down lol. (He's my fave right now) as my husband said lol, "Katie, what are you going to do when you meet Jesus?" Haha 

Joshua was short and quick! This is what I saw.....

The key to success is obedience. The key to obedience is meditating on the Word. 

Rahab is in the lineage of Jesus. She had no relationship with God but, because she had HEARD of the God of Israel she had turned to save the two spies in hopes of safety which she received. 

The Story of Jericho is a story of obedience and patience. 

Joshua became the leader of Israel at 80 years old. 

Committing one sin brings the same result as a multitude of sins. 

What is hidden will always be brought to the surface. 

People try to join your side when there is always blessing and favor. 

When opportunities come to your door, always talk to God first. 

Fame attracts. 

Murmuring leads to division. 

Caleb was a man of truth and bravery. 

Be careful what you ask for. - Manasseh

JOSHUA CALLED THE EARTH TO STAND STILL AND THERE IS A DAY RECORDED IN HISTORY THAT IS MISSING! #what 

A soft word turns away wrath. 

Inquire before accusing. 

Joshua saw the fulfillment of all of God's prophecies for Abraham, Jacob, Isaac and Moses. Everything God had said, had been won and inherited. 

God does not make errors. 

I think reading Joshua right now is a timely book for this season. I'm noticing a word going out of the call of Joshua. Two worship leaders have both just put out a song called Take Courage (Kristene DiMarco and Lindy Conant) I highly advise you to listen to those songs! I'm going to wear those songs out! Music definitely is the easiest key to getting things imprinted in your mind and spirit. So TAKE COURAGE!