Courageously Facing Your Future (Part 2)

Courageously Facing Your Future (Part 2) by Pastor Jay Williams

First Big Question: What is going to happen to you? Second Big Question: What can you do about what already happened to you?

Review Part One: Four Things That Will Determine What Will Happen to You

1. 2. 3. 4.

1.

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Who you listen to (They listened to the serpent) What you chose to do (They willfully ate the fruit) How honest you are when you fail (They were silent until confronted) The options your choices leave for you (the garden was no longer safe, )

I. A Family That Courageously Faced What Happened to Them (NKJV)

They Started With Dreams of a Future Beyond the Famine v1 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 dwell in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons. 2 The name of the man was Elimelech, the name of his wife was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion—Ephrathites of Bethlehem, Judah. And they went to the country of Moab and remained there.

2. • 3 Then Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died; and she was left, and her two sons. 4 Now they took

They Ran Into A Crisis Seasons That Was Unexpected

wives of the women of Moab: the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth. And they dwelt there about ten years. 5 Then both Mahlon and Chilion also died; so the woman survived her two sons and her husband.

3. They Had To Dream a New Dream For Their Future • 6 Then she arose with her daughters-in-law that she might return from the country of Moab, for she

had heard in the country of Moab that the Lord had visited His people by giving them bread. 7 Therefore she went out from the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her; and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah. 8 And Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each to her mother’s house. The Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me. 9 The Lord grant that you may find rest, each in the house of her husband.”

Note: Five Tough Admonitions Naomi Gave To Her Daughters In-Laws

Sometimes you need to go back because you lost everything

Sometimes you must leave this place and find a new place

Sometimes you can’t find rest here, (you must build a new family)

Sometimes you must use what you have left and the lessons you learned

Sometimes complaining doesn’t change anything (Watch Ruth)

II. A Family That Decided to Go In Different Directions In a Healthy Way ( (NKJV)

9 The Lord grant that you may find rest, each in the house of her husband.” So she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept. 10 And they said to her, “Surely we will return with you to your people.” 11 But Naomi said, “Turn back, my daughters; why will you go with me? Are there still sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? 12 Turn back, my daughters, go—for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say I have hope, if I should have a husband tonight and should also bear sons,

13 would you wait for them till they were grown? Would you restrain yourselves from having husbands? No, my daughters; for it grieves me very much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord has gone out against me!” 14 Then they lifted up their voices and wept again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but

Ruth clung to her.15 And she said, “Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.” 16 But Ruth said:“Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever 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 will I be buried. The Lord do so to me, and more also, If anything but death parts you and me.”18 When she saw that she was determined to go with her, she stopped speaking to her.

They tried to keep the same family structure

They tried to stay together because they liked each other

They were considering options that would sabotage their future

They were all given a choice without guilt

Oprah was allowed to decide her life’s direction (v14)

Ruth was allowed to decide her life’s direction (v16-18)

Ruth made a relational and a spiritual decision (v17)

III. Three Questions This Family Makes Us Consider

What are we trying to keep the same?

Who are we trying to keep in our life?

What changes can’t we accept?

Note: Nine struggles this sermon helped “ME” think about

Sometimes I struggle with my new label “Older” (I’m glad to be but it’s an interesting title)

Sometimes I struggle with what age brings (narrow judgments, insecurities, no dreams)

Sometimes I struggle with the silence and isolation success brings

Sometimes I struggle with some of my results, I dreamed they would be different

Sometimes I struggle with the reality that some people I met were not who I thought they were

Sometimes I struggle with how fast money can fly out of your life if you don’t watch it.

Sometimes I struggle with communicating the importance of intentionally building wealth

Sometimes I struggle watching people who want God’s best live compromising lives

Sometimes I struggle with being Happy While So Many Christians Around Me Seem Sad

Next Time: How your love life can impact your future Big Question: How do you find love the right way? Read Ahead (Ruth, Chapters 2-4)