Today on the verdict with Pastor John Monroe. Your life. has just hit. A brick wall. Anyone ever been there?
Some of you are there at this exact moment. And in the midst of your hurt and your disillusionment and confusion and Disappointment and despair and loneliness and hopelessness. What are you to do? What are we to do when life hits? A brick wall.
Welcome to the verdict with Pastor John Monroe.
Some Christians believe that if they just have enough faith, they'll be able to escape the problems of this world. But when we look in the Bible, Scripture teaches that even the most faithful men and women suffer. and have to deal with crisis. Today, we're continuing our study in the Book of Ruth with a lesson on what to do when life hits a brick wall. And now.
Here's Pastor John Monroe. Today we're continuing our new study in the Old Testament book of Ruth. Last time we were introduced to Nomi, a Jewish widow. She had followed her husband to the foreign land of Moab, During a time when God's people were going through a terrible famine in Israel. Then her husband and their two sons died.
Naomi now is left with two Moabi daughters-in-law. in a strange country. Life has taken a bitter turn. and while everything may seem hopeless, Naomi is not alone. She is now open to God's grace and His leading.
What about you? Are you open to God's leading and His blessing during difficult times? As we consider Naomi's journey, we're going to identify three principles. that I know you'll find helpful. when your life hits a bit long.
Ruit. Chapter 1 then Verses one Through six.
Now it came about in the days when the judges governed that there was a famine in the lands. And a certain man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the land of Moab with his wife, and his two sons And the name of the man was Alimalik. And the name of his wife Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Malon and Killion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem in Judah.
Now they entered the land of Moab and remained there. Then Elimelech, Naomi's husband, died. and she was left with her two sons. And they took for themselves Moabite women as wives. The name of one was Orpah.
and the name of the other Ruth. And they lived there about ten years. Then both Malin and Killian also died. And the woman was bereft. of her two children.
and her husband. 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. And so we are introduced to this woman.
and their family, this woman we know as Naomi. Here is our first scene I want us to think of this morning. A weeping widow stands in a Moabite. graveyard. Can you picture Naomi.
Death now strikes in this small family three times. Her husband, Son number one. Sun number two. Two. Let me ask you, is there any greater sorrow for a mother than the death of her own children?
Can you picture weeping Naomi? standing in a mobile graveyard She's there to bury her sons. Grandchildren, there are no grandchildren, there never will be. There is no one, she thinks, to continue now their family name. She realizes all of her dreams are shadowed.
Her life. has hit A brick wall. That is scene one. scene two verse six. Naomi hears of the Lords.
tender. Grace. Then she arose with her daughters-in-law that she might return from the land of Moab. for she had heard that the Lord had visited His people in giving them Food. How wonderful.
You see the Lord. is watching over This widow. The Lord is watching over Neome. Significantly, The Lord is first mentioned in verse 6. The Lord had visited his people, that is, back in Israel.
The Lord had visited his people in giving them food, giving them literally bread. And Naomi, still in Moab, hears this wonderful news. and decides now To return to Bethlehem.
Now let me suggest to you three biblical principles. from this passage as we begin our study. In Ruth. The first principle is this. Spiritual disobedience brings disastrous consequences for yourself and others.
As I say, Ruth is a continuation, really, of the book of Judges, where there's a failure of leadership in the family and in the nation. If you're familiar with this story of the judges, one of the things that leaps out to you is this great failure of leadership. Everyone doing what is right in his own eyes. There's no king. And there are leaders from time to time, but whenever they die, People go back to their old sinful ways.
And there is a failure of leadership in the nation. spiritually and also in the home, over and over again. Ilimilic here appears to look to himself for provision. Rather than for God. More concerned with the material and the immediate rather than the spiritual and the eternal.
Rather than being a man of faith and waiting on God, he's motivated And we like this often by short. Term advantage. His disobedience and impatience in leaving Bethlehem to go to Moab bring disastrous consequences on himself and others.
Now spiritually speaking Or have any of us here taking some action? which has led or is leading you on the road to nowhere.
Someone here this morning, you're about to take some premature action. A bit like Ilimelech? Perhaps you're a dad, you're a father. And you may not be taking spiritual leadership in your own. Family.
You see, the spiritual consequences of actions. In the family, don't just impact those in leadership, but impact Others. Parents? Remember your actions that you take. Have serious consequences, good or bad, on your children.
What kind of Christianity, dads, are you modeling in your home? Is there some father here about to make a foolish and impetuous decision? Perhaps you have a materialistic attitude. Perhaps you are pursuing your own ego or personal pleasure. The resultant havoc on your wife and your children and on yourself may be immense.
The grass yes, to all of us, the grass does look greener on the other side of the fence. I learned that in Michigan. We lived a little bit out of the city in our home when we lived there. And uh we had a septic tank.
Now I had a neighbour who who prided himself on having the best lawn in the neighbourhood. I know we tried to compete with them. But the greenish grass That I had in my yard. Do you know where it was? Right above the septic tank.
There's a lesson there, isn't there? What on the surface often seems to be very good, very green, very alluring. very exciting, very fulfilling, very remunerative. may cover A moral Sure. Be warned.
As followers of Jesus Christ, we are always to consider the spiritual consequences of our actions. We've been listening to the Presidential debates about the war and about the economy and about global warming and all of that, how little we hear about moral pollution. How little we hear that the decisions we make as a nation. Spiritually speaking and morally speaking, have tremendous consequences for ourselves and the book of Ruth. In fact, the whole Bible, of course.
The Many of us are like Elimelech. Take action. Move to a new situation, a new relationship. A new career. A new business deal?
A new venture, a new location. If the material rewards or our personal pleasure seems to be greater. Motivated by short-term advantage rather than prayerfully weighing. the spiritual consequences for ourselves. and for others.
Here is a young Christian man. Who desires to be married, that's good, that's natural, that's understandable. But instead of waiting on the Lord's choice, He enters prematurely into an ungodly. relationship. Here is a married man.
Whose marriage, he thinks, is rather jaded, rather boring, and at work he meets a very exciting woman, and he's now considering leaving his wife. and children. I will do what is right in my eyes. This feels so good. It must.
Be right is his mentality.
Well, at some point in the future, God will probably forgive me. Everything will work out. Here is a Christian business person who's told of a questionable deal with rather shady business partners, but he or she goes ahead. Just think of the killing I can make here, and after all, I'll have more money to give to the Lord. He or she rationalizes.
Isn't it the case that God often allows us to continue on that road. But disobedience is always Always. Costly. Any of us who have been following Christ for a few years know that in our own experience and in the experience of others never sacrifice your principles. your family, your reputation.
Your commitment to Jesus Christ over some short-term gain or pleasure, you may hit a brick wall. Spiritual disobedience brings disastrous consequences. Principle number two God's sovereign purposes sometimes bring pain. and suffering. Many here could attest to that.
God's sovereign purposes sometimes bring into our life pain and suffering. Naomi, leaving Bethlehem for Moab with her husband and children, was still under the sovereign control. of our gracious Heavenly Father. The psalmist says, Our God is in heavens. He does.
whatever he pleases. Paul says God works all things after the counsel of his will. What a comforting truth for the believer. We look on little sparrows as insignificant as they fly around. Their flying may seem to be at random, yet Scripture says that not one sparrow falls to the ground apart from.
our fathers. Will. The raindrops, the insects buzzing around, the blossoming of a rose. The planets in their order, the rise and fall of the nations, the election of a President, decisions we make, decisions made by others which impact us are all under the sovereign control of our great God, have reassurance. But sometimes God's sovereign purposes.
result. And pain. And suffering, and they did for Naomi. She knew much pain, much suffering, much bereavement. And what does it do?
Suffering destroys our illusion of self-sufficiency and self-control, and it casts us totally upon the Lord. And this is what happens to Naomi. She now hears the good news. Verse 6. That the Lord had once again in his grace visited.
His people. In her dark world then, Up against that Dark brick wall. Cut off from her past, her present, and her future, wouldn't she? Doesn't know what to do and who's going to look after her. In that darkness a ray of light No.
begins. to shine. and she is prepared to retrace her steps. She's going to head home. Back to Bethlehem.
Instead of turning from God because of her suffering, a common response, she turns. Two. Her ear is open. To the Lord. And in the midst of your pain and suffering and heartache and disappointment of life, God's guiding hand is there.
Any of you are going through a tough time at the moment? I know many of you are. God never sends us anything that was not meant. for our good. There are many mysteries in life, many confusing and stormy times.
But as William Cowper The great hymn writer who himself suffered from depression, he writes, God moves in a mysterious way, his wonders to perform. He plants his footsteps in the sea. And rights Upon The what? The storm. Middle of a storm, The Lord.
is riding on that storm. The Lord It's right there. Never ever forget that the Lord is in the storm. And in the darkness of the night, the stars shine all the more brilliantly. Here is the third, the final lesson.
God and His providence. tenderly watches over his people. and is working everything for our ultimate good and for his Glory. Let me read that again. God and His Providence tenderly Watches over his people.
And is working everything for our ultimate good and for his glory. Can I add, even when life hits a brick wall? Naomi and Ruth are very ordinary people. Nothing special about them. Naomi is an Israelite.
Ruth is a pagan Moabite. Yet, God. As we'll learn as we work our way through this wonderful little book. God is actively at work in their lives. Tenderly And graciously providing for this widow.
and for this young mobile test. We don't believe in harsh fate. As Christians, we don't believe in cruel chance or arbitrary luck. No, we believe in the providence of God, which is always fatherly, which is always wise, which is always kind and which is always for our good, as we met these four fathers this morning. And as they take their little children in their arms, each of these fathers wants the very best for their children.
They are wiser. than their children. They have a totally different perspective than their children. and they are doing all they can to in the best interests of these little babies. If we As human beings.
As imperfect fathers do that for our own children, how much more does our Heavenly Father do that and watch over us with tenderness and with grace and always acts for your good. and for my good. and four. His glory. God is intimately concerned.
With every detail of your life, ordinary and humdrum, although it may seem. There is nothing too little. To be beneath God's care.
Sometimes people tell us details of their life, and we say, Why are they telling us this? This is so trivial. I don't want to hear this. Not so with God. Nothing too little to be beneath God's care.
Nothing too great to be beyond his control. No detail of your life Is outside of the control of God and the care of God.
Now, there are many mysteries in life which I certainly don't understand, but I do know. that God is watching over us. with tenderness. And grace. That's at the heart of Divine Providence.
And in your pain and your confusion and your disappointments and failure, What are you to do? The key verse in Ruth, Ruth two, verse twelve. You are to seek your refuge. Seek your shelter under his wings. Verse 12 of Ruth 2, probably the key verse in the whole book.
May the Lord reward your work and your wages be full from the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you've come to seek refuge.
Something said. to Ruth. We'll think of that in more detail. But here is the picture of God. As this great bird, as it were, with his powerful protective wings.
And these wings cover and shelter. and care for this mobile test. this young woman. Carl Druth. What are you to do in your pain and your suffering?
You're to do as Ruth did. You are to seek your refuge. You're to seek your care. Secure shelter, seek your provision under his wings. There you will find security, guidance, protection, and blessing.
So here's today's important lesson. Even when life hits a brick wall, God. is at work. for your good. Did you get that?
Even when life hits a brick wall, God God. Is it work for your good? You say, John, I'd like to believe that, but I don't see it. I understand that. I've been there.
I understand that, I think. Let me say to you, don't despair. Trust God. shelter under his wings. Faith leaves life's unanswered questions and heartaches in God's loving hands.
Would you rather They were in your own hands. Would you rather they were in someone else's hands? No, leave them. in God's loving Powerful hand. God loves you, cares for you, and is watching over you as He was watching over Naomi and Ruth.
And if you've never trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, this is where it begins. With the forgiveness of your sins. As you receive and trust in the One, our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who came to die for your sins. who took our pain are suffering. was buried and rose again.
And today He will receive you. He will transform you. He will forgive you. He will give you his own eternal life. And you then can shelter under his wings.
If you're here as a follower of Jesus Christ, and you've taken a path of disobedience. You need to. Turn. You need to have a change of mind. a change of heart.
We call that repentance. You need to retrace Your steps. And instead of having your back towards God, Turn. and face the Lord and get right with the Lord. as a result of a chemical explosion.
John lost his sight. He was asked how he felt. Life was over. I felt helpless. I hated God.
For the first six months, I did nothing to improve my lot in life. I ate all my meals alone. Here's a man whose life certainly hit a brick wall. One day, my father entered my room and said, John, winter is coming and the storm windows need to be up. That's your job.
I want those hung by the time I get back this evening or else. Then he turned, walked out of the room and slammed the door. John said, I got so angry, I thought, Who does he think I am? I'm blind. I was so angry I decided to do it.
I felt my way to the garage, found the windows, located the necessary tools, found a ladder, all the while muttering under my breath, I'll show them, I'll fall. then they will have a blind and paralysed son. I got the windows up. I found out later that never at any moment Was my father more than four or five feet away from my side? We have a father who's not even four or five feet away from our side who is right.
beside us, watching over us. And in the storms and the confusions and disappointments and failures and sufferings in life, your Heavenly Father and my Heavenly Father is always by your side. God's ways are not only often mysterious, they're often invisible to us, yet we know that His purposes are always for our good. in ways that often exceed our expectations. Therefore, when life hits a brick wall.
Repent of any non sin. Trust your Heavenly Father. Obey his word, do his will, shelter under his wings, because our great God. specialises in turning brick walls into doors of blessing. Joy.
and grace. Help us Our Father and our God this morning. to understand these truths. We praise you. That you're a God of grace, and that when we mess up and when we fail, your grace is greater than our sin.
And for those here who have never yet come to Christ, we pray. That you will open their hearts and they will receive Christ. For those who are followers of Christ, and who may be on a point of a disobedient act, Father, convict them. May they turn from that. For those Who are disobedient, Father, bring repentance into their hearts, and may all of us.
walk humbly before the Lord, that our ear each day will be open to to your will. And may you bless us. and for those who are suffering, for those who are grieving. for those who are full of despair. May your light of your grace this day shine into their hearts, bringing them comfort and encouragement and hope.
We pray in the name of the one who is our great hope. Our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. This is the verdict with Pastor John Monroe and a message titled, When Life Hits a Brick Wall. To revisit any of these daily lessons, just go to our website at theverdict.org.
And as we continue our study in the Book of Ruth, we want to make sure you get your copy of the custom listening guide John has put together for this series. With content specially designed for each of these daily lessons, This printable guide will equip you with keynotes, questions, and specific prompts to help you apply the biblical teaching from the story of Ruth to your own life today. There's so much to unpack from this little book in the Bible. and we want to help you to discover it all with this valuable free resource. Reach out and request your free copy of the Ruth Listening Guide today.
by going online to theverdict.org. There, you'll also want to sign up for John's monthly email and get a first look at everything coming up here at the verdict. And while you're on our website, you'll have the opportunity to play a part in what God is doing through the verdict. with a simple one-time donation of any amount. You can easily give whatever amount you feel led to by visiting theverdict.org.
And don't forget to subscribe to the Verdict Podcast. In addition to these programs, John has a weekly podcast called Avizandam. Where he shares his personal thoughts on relevant topics like church and politics, the uniqueness of Israel, and how to engage the culture for Christ. You can hear it all by subscribing to the Verdict Podcast.
Now, here's Pastor John Monroe.
Well, what's your verdict? Have you ever found yourself in a situation like Naomi's? Do you feel lonely? Isolated. overwhelmed by difficult circumstances, Don't let the pain of your circumstances Drive you away from God.
He hasn't left you. He's in control of all things. and is at work for your good. Do as Naomi did and go back home. Turn back to God.
Allow him to guide you, just as we'll see him guide Naomi. and join us next time as we follow Naomi's journey. and receive a challenge to a radical Faith. Thanks for joining us today on The Verdict. I'm Michelle Davies.
Today's program with Pastor John Monroe was produced and sponsored by Calvary Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. Mm.
