“Three Mistakes to Avoid in the Trials of Life”

INTRODUCTION.

Briefly tell the story of Ruth.

Ruth 1:1–5 NASB95

1 Now it came about in the days when the judges governed, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the land of Moab with his wife and his two sons. 2 The name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife, Naomi; and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem in Judah. Now they entered the land of Moab and remained there. 3 Then Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died; and she was left with her two sons. 4 They took for themselves Moabite women as wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. And they lived there about ten years. 5 Then both Mahlon and Chilion also died, and the woman was bereft of her two children and her husband.

Names:

Bethlehem - “House of Bread”

Elimelech - “my God is King”

Naomi - “pleasant”

Mahlon - “sick - weak”

Chilion - “pining - wasting away”

Orpah - “stubborn”

Ruth - “friendship”

MESSAGE.

1. The Mistake of UNBELIEF.

“How do you walk by faith? By claiming the promises of God and obeying the Word of God, in spite of what you see, how you feel or what may happen.” - Warren Wiersbe.

A. Walked by Sight and not by Faith.

Moved to Moab - Isralel’s enemy

Moab - Lot’s first daughter’s son by incest.

B. Focused on Physical Not Spiritual.

Sons married Moabites

Marriage not forbidden just the reception of Moabites into the congregation of the Lord that was forbidden (Deut. 23.4).

Israelites were forbidden to marry Canaanites (Deut 7:1-6).

C. Consequences.

Elimelech, Mahlon, and Chilion all died.

Buried in the a foreign land.

2. The Mistake of DECEPTION.

A. Good decision wrong motives.

Ruth 1:6 NASB95

6 Then she arose with her daughters-in-law that she might return from the land of Moab, for she had heard in the land of Moab that the Lord had visited His people in giving them food.

Interested in Food not Fellowship with the Lord.

B. Did want her daughter-in-laws to return with her.

Ruth 1:8 NASB95

8 And Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each of you to her mother’s house. May the Lord deal kindly with you as you have dealt with the dead and with me.

Did not want her daughter-in-laws to return to the land of her God - instead wanted them to return to their land and false gods.

Warren Wisbere - noted maybe Naomi did not want the daughter-in-laws to return for it would have exposed that Elimelech and her allowed their children to marry outside of the covenant nation. (trying to cover up her disobedience).

C. Blaming God.

Blaming God for your troubles.

Ruth 1:13 NASB95

13 would you therefore wait until they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters; for it is harder for me than for you, for the hand of the Lord has gone forth against me.”

3. The Mistake of BITTERNESS.

A. The bitterness had effected Naomi’s appearance.

Ruth 1:19 NASB95

19 So they both went until they came to Bethlehem. And when they had come to Bethlehem, all the city was stirred because of them, and the women said, “Is this Naomi?”

B. Naomi wanted to change her name from Naomi “pleasant” to Mora “bitterness”.

Ruth 1:20 NASB95

20 She said to them, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.

C. Stole Naomi’s Joy.

She could not see the things God was doing her life.

She still had life - a precious gift from God.

Her trials were a new beginning.

She had friends all around her.

She had Ruth her daughter-in-law.

God’s blessing all over Naomi’s life.

Greatest of all Naomi still had The Lord God, the God of Israel, Jehovah with her.

President Woodrow Wilson - “I firmly believe in Divine Providence, without it, I think I should go crazy. Without God the world would be a maze without a clue.”

CONCLUSION.

4. God’s Grace.

We can see God’s grace and sovereignty all over the story of Ruth.

A. Ruth’s Conversion.

Ruth 1:16–17 NASB95

16 But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. 17 “Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. Thus may the Lord do to me, and worse, if anything but death parts you and me.”