Where is your there?

You

Time in lockdown has gone on for quite a while now

Its affecting our work, our relationships with others, our family time

Some of those affects are positive others are negative

We all wonder when will this time be over so that we can come out our houses again.

Boris has said this week we are past the the curve and we are living in hope of coming out soon.

We are asking:

Whats life going to be like after this?

Some of us have experienced lost

A lost of Job a lost of a loved one, maybe a lost of a relationship?

We may be experiencing different emotions some of them may be heartbrake, stress, worry and fear.

Covid is definatly leaving an imprint on our lives that will be with us for a long time.

Today though I have another Story of Hope for you, so keep with me. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Bible College 2014

Story of going to bible college

Being told by people about going to bible college in Aus

Not wanting to go

In going it allowed me to find who I was in Jesus

It allowed me to get over past hurts and pains

It allowed me to move from distractions and heartache to a more fullfilling life

It was my Moab to Bethlehem Journey

There is a woman called Naomi,

Let me just quickly explain the meaning in Hebrew of the word Naomi

The name Naomi means pleasure, a pleasure to be with, delightful and friendly.

Remember this, were going to need it later on in the story.

Naomi first leaves her people with her husband and family and goes to Moab

They live in Moab for ten years, ten years of what sounded like hapiness

Then the worst thing happens to Naomi

Her Husband dies, and her two sons who were married.

So Naomi has just lost her husband and her two sons.

She tells her daughter in laws there is no hope in staying with me, I am not able to help you.

Explain a widow in them days. (Worst Cade Scenario, no coming back.) Shes older now too.

Yet Ruth one of her Daughter in Laws decides to stay with her, and go on this Journey back to Bethlehem.

Naomi is now down, what has happened to her has caught her unaware

Her whole life in her eyes has come to an end.

Naomi is a lot like some of us today, caught unaware with this virus, caught unaware by someone walking out on us, caught unaware by losing a loved one, caught unaware by a lost of a Job.

Yet Naomi carries on and Leaves Moab with Ruth and Travels to Bethlehem

She believes her life has ended shes down cast with no real logical way out.

Yet we serve a God who works in the mysterious the wonder.

We have a father in heaven that loves us so much that he works all things for good.

They get to Bethlehem (The town of Bread, Bible always about food.)

Naomi is recognised by her friends and they come running to see her they are really happy to see her and elated, but Naomi is sad shes down trodden she thinks this is it. The end for me

Remember what Naomi means in Hebrew, a pleasure, a pleasure to be with.

Naomi asks her Friends not to call her Naomi any more but to call her Mara

Now mara means bitter, the opposite to pleasure.

The bible never changes her name though in the whole story, it keeps it to Naomi, because God speaks hope over us, speaks Joy over us, and encourages us.

He has a plan for each and everyone of us

My favourite verse in the whole bible is this:

Jeremiah 29:11 ESV

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

I went through life not knowing there was a plan for my life

A great plan

A plan that would be better than I could have ever have dreamed of or imagined

I though my life just went like the wind and we would all end up somewhere

No Plan no Purpose

Until a friend of mine told me this verse and I went away and read it and ever since then I take courage and heart in knowing that there is a plan for my life

A purpose for my life

And you have the same for your life

There is a plan for your life and purpose for you life

You may feel like Naomi in the story, like its all come to an end

Yet God the Father says no I have a plan for your life

If your still alive today no matter your age then God has a plan and purpose for you.

Right now there is not much Hope in our world

Not much encouragement

Yet God is a God of Hope

You may be going through something ontop of COVID lockdown time that is so heartbraking but I want to tell you there is hope for your life today. A turn around is coming.

The Story Continues

Ruth her daughter in law, starts working in a field, runs into by chance the owner of the field

They get married and all is restored back to Naomi, as she now has a baby to carry on the family line.

The bible says that Naomi treated her Grandchild like her own.

Everything is restored and Nomis Life is back to a new normal, and she is living up to her name a pleasure to be with.

Moab was a city in the bible where destruction came to the people that would end up there.

Bethelhem means a dwelling place a sanctury if you will.

Bethelehem is used in the bible to always to show Gods provision.

Jesus was born in Bethlehem.

If Naomi stayed in Moab (In her destruction),

she would have never got to Bethlehem (Her bread, her provison, her redemption.)

If Naomi stayed and wollowed in Moab she would never of found her Bethlehem

Where is your Bethelehem?

Where is your there?

Where is God trying to help redeem your situation?

Gods provision always came out of Bethelehem

Its why he placed the saviour of the world in one stary night in a manger in Bethelehem

The most un real situation brings redemption, brings Joy peace and love

It Fixes your life.

So where is your bethlehem?

Where is your there?

Are you in your Moab right now, is your life in dispair?

Do you feel like your in fear

Scared to leave the house?

Scared to take another step

Is your living situation hell right now?

Are you wondering when will all this will end?

Well Can I say to you today.

Perhaps your there is coming?

Perhaps your most unlikley situation is coming?

Bible College (Us)

My unlikely situation was heading to Aus

Going to Aus and working through my past heartaches and issues I had with God

It allowed God to repair me and make me into the man I was always meant to be

Sometimes God will move you out of a place so that you do not have any distractions

So that you can focus on your journey to Bethlehem

Perhaps you have had a failed relationship

A divorce that you never saw coming

A heartbrake where the love of your life has just uped and left you

Maybe recently due to this virus you have Lost a loved one

Maybe like Naomi this situation that you are in has made you lose hope

My there was Aus yet my journey to Bethlehem was moving from the UK to Aus to figure out my:

hurt by others

hurt by love

lost of love

Yet Jesus was working through all my past relationships with me and showing me his love

When I found his Love I found my Hope, I was redeemed, and restored

I have now been brought back to help you

To bring Love and Hope to you today

To speak into and encourage you to move from your Moab to your Bethlehem

So I ask you where is your there?

Is it in Jesus?

Is it in his Hope?

Is it in his Joy?

Is it in his Freedom?

You see Jesus helped me go through my Moab to my bethlehem

He helped me deal with my problems

My mindset

So that I could get to my redemption

All I did was say yes to him

I am asking you today,

Can you say yes to him?

This Weeks Story of Hope

This weeks story of Hope is to know where your there is?

Perhaps its saying Yes to Jesus

Perhaps its starting a new a fresh new life in him

Perhaps its saying yes to him so that he can heal you from your hurt and past.

So if you want to say yes to Jesus today,

Then repeat this small prayer after me.

Dear Jesus,

I am sorry for what I have done in my life

The hurt I have caused myself and others around me

I ask you to come into my life today

To help me figure out my hurt and heal me of my heartache and pain

To move me from my Maob to my Bethlehem

To help me figure out who I am in you

To give me a new identity in you

To give me a new found freedom in you

Yes Jesus I accept you into my life and ask you to direct me and my life from now on.

Holy Spirit please come into my life and help me today.

In Jesus Name Amen.

You see you may of not understood all that prayer or every little detail, but you dont have to, to begin with.

Today you have started that long and great journey with Jesus just by taking the first step.

If you prayed this prayer Today I would love to hear from you

To help you along this journey and to help you go through life with you.

I wish to show you more of Jesus and what he can do for your life and the amazing positive impact he has on our lives.

If you prayed the prayer please email me to let me know as I have a gift for you:

My email is: [e-mail]

Thanks for listening.

Please join our group coffee with Pastor Jason on Facebook.