03-28-10 PM - Building Lasting Relationships: Facing the Hidden Dangers that Threaten the Home

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Ruth1:1-5
1. Facing the Hidden Dangers that Threaten the Home, Ruth 1:1-5
2. Why Do Some Walk Away? Ruth 1:4, 11-15
3. The Burden and Bitterness of a Barren Life, Ruth 1:6 - 22
4. Holding the Family Together When Your World is Falling Apart, Ruth 1:9 - 21
5. Virtuous Realities, Part 1, Ruth 1:22 - 2:5
6. Virtuous Realities Part 2 Ruth 2
7. Love is in the Air, Ruth 3
8. A Heritage Builder, Ruth 4

In James Dobson’s book, “Love must be tough,” he tells of the grave impact that is occurring as families disintegrate. He writes, “…the most vulnerable victims of family instability are the children who are too young to understand what has happened to their parents.

Ruth 1:1 “Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.”

I. Problems from cultural sources.

Ruth 1:1 “in the days when the judges ruled”
Judges 21:25 provides the best commentary on that time: “…everyone did that which was right in his own eyes.”
Their message of morality was simple: conform to non-conformity, and tolerate everything except intolerance.

II. Problems from natural forces.

Ruth 1:1 “…there was a famine”
[1] They strike indiscriminately:  “…it rains on the just, and the unjust alike. (Matthew 5:45).

[2] They are beyond our control.
Elimeleck, which means “God is my king”,
Naomi, which means “pleasant one or sweet one”.
Mahlon, “sickly”.
Chilion, “pining” or “wasting away” (v.1:1-2).

III. Problems from personal choices.

Ruth 1:1 went to dwell in the country of Moab”
Notice the full consequence of this decision.

[1] He disobeyed a direct command of God.
(v.2 “remained there”, and v.4 “about ten years”).

[2] He devalued his spiritual heritage in the sight of his family.

He didn’t discern the spiritual significance of this “faith inheritance.”

[3] He positioned his family for great and grave temptations.

I Kings 11:1-2 1 Now King Solomon loved many foreign women along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women,  2 from the nations concerning which the LORD had said to the sons of Israel, "You shall not associate with them, neither shall they associate with you, for they will surely turn your heart away after their gods."

[4] Though well intended (moving to feed his family), his disobedience did not alleviate their problems but aggravated them.

I’m convinced that the Lord is not opposed to prosperity, but he is opposed to prosperity that costs a compromise of your faith.

The premise that will test the home.

The Premise: You can leave God out of the home and still have it all.

We apply this premise several ways.

a. Totally disregard God
b. Limit your commitment to God
c. Compartmentalize God

Hidden in this story are two redeeming promises.
1. The Promise regarding God: He has not moved and still desires to have an intimate relationship with you.
2. The Promise regarding your inheritance.

With God, and only with God, can you have a full and satisfying life. And then, when you die, your true inheritance will await you.