KEEP HOPE ALIVE:
DONT GIVE UP
You don’t have to worry
And don’t you be afraid
Joy comes in the morning
Trouble days don’t last always
There’s a friend we have in Jesus
Who will wipe your tears away
And if your heart is broken
Just lift up your hands
and say
I know that I can it
I know that I can stand
No matter what may come my way
My life is in your hand
Job 14:7-9
For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease. 8 Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground; 9 Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.
THE STORY of Mr. Obatosin Lawal.
…Travelled to the US
…Cab man, Carlos Barella, called his name Opatosin Lowol
…Corrected him and both laughed
…Later got to know Cab man was
1. 79 years old who’d been driving for 17 years
2. He was a multimillionaire dealing in limousines.
3. But he Lost his son, a cousin, 4 staff, and all he had in 9/11 incident
4. Thought of suicide but turned a cab driver
5. Still have HOPE to become a millionaire which he used to be
6. If 79 year old still have hope, you too should keep hope alive
REASONS NEVER TO GIVE UP
1. BECAUSE… You’re still alive. You’re still living. And when there’s life, there’s hope
2. BECAUSE… You don’t know the whole story. You only know in part. If Joseph had not been sold into slavery he wouldn’t have gotten to Pharaohs palace
3. BECAUSE… All things work together for good…. Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
MESSAGE
(1)There’s hope for a seed that birds have not eaten. And (2) Even if birds have swallowed the seed but haven’t digested it, there can still be hope that when such bird excretes, and the seed touches the ground again, it can still sprout. (3)Whatever the circumstances, God can still use an egg to break coconut (4)God can make your sun to shine even at midnight hour
NAOMI as an EXAMPLE of whose HOPELESSNESS turned HOPEFULNESS.
Ruth 1:20-21
20 And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. 21 I went out full, and the LORD hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?
SEVEN THINGS THAT HAPPEN … WHEN YOU DONT GIVE UP …
WHEN YOU KEEP HOPE ALIVE …
Let’s examine how God turned Naomi’s worse situation around from Ruth Chapter 2
1
DIVINE DIRECTION
Isa 30:21 KJV And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.
…There were many fields but Of all the fields, Ruth went to none else other than that of Boaz…. DIVINE DIRECTION Ruth 2:1-2 KJV And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband’s, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz. 2 KJV And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter…. GLEANING is a tradition whereby strangers abs the poor are allowed to pick left over fruits for sustenance
…Psalms 103:7 – He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the children of Israel.
…Proverbs 16:25 –There is a way that seems right to a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
…Psa. 16:11 – You will show me the path of life: in your presence is fullness of joy; at your right hand there are pleasures for ever more.
2
DIVINE ATTENTION
1. The Eye of the Lord is upon the Righteous”. In Job 1:8,
2. There were many damsels but of all of no one else other than Ruth that Boaz NOTICED…. DIVINE ATTENTION Ruth 2:5 KJV Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel is this?
3
DIVINE ADVERTISEMENT
1. The Head Servant gave Boaz more Answers than requested…. DIVINE ADVERTISEMENT Rth 2:6-7 KJV 6 And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said, (1) It is the Moabitish damsel (2)that came back with Naomi (3)out of the country of Moab: 7 (4)And she said, I pray you, let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves: (5)so she came, and hath continued even from the morning until now, (6)that she tarried a little in the house
2. WHEN GOD ANNOUNCES YOU, WHAT HAPPENS?
• You will be recognized beyond territory.
• When heaven advertises you, people will witness about you. Luke 22:70, Matthew 16:16
• The earthly will submit to you – Mark 3:11
• The enemies will support and not against you – Matthew 8:29, Mark 1:24, 3:11
• You have unlimited access to the things of God –
• God will glorify you
4
DIVINE ACCEPTANC
The LORD bless thee and keep thee. The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The LORD lift his countenance upon thee and give thee peace”. Numbers 6: 24-26
1. Boaz gave more than required… Ruth called My DAUGHTER… DIVINE ACCEPTANCE BY GRACE…A Stranger became a daughter. Being a product of incest forgotten… Rth 2:8-10 KJV 8 Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, (1)my daughter? (2)Go not to glean in another field, (3)neither go from hence, (4)but abide here fast by my maidens: 9 (5)Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, (6)and go thou after them: (7)have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? and (8)when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels, (9)and drink of that which the young men have drawn 10 Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger?
5
DIVINE REMEMBRANCE
Isaiah 49:14-15 KJV says that
“But Zion said, The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. [15] Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.”
1. Boaz remembered more of what he heard Ruth had done Ruth got more than she requested: Favour, Comfort, Friendship…. DIVINE REMEMBRANCE … Rth 2:11-13 KJV 11 And Boaz answered and said unto her, (1)It hath fully been shewed me, (2)all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law (3)since the death of thine husband: (4)and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, (5)and the land of thy nativity, (6)and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore. 12 (7)The LORD recompense thy work, (8)and a full reward be given thee (9)of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust. 13 Then she said, Let me find favour in thy sight, my lord; for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken friendly unto thine handmaid, though I be not like unto one of thine handmaidens.
6
DIVINE REWARD
1. Ruth was called CLOSER… Boaz served Ruth … DIVINE REWARD… No more gleaning of LEFT OVERS but gleaning among the sheaves… HARVESTING WHAT HAS BEEN HARVESTED….
2. NO MORE REPROACH…. Rth 2:14-15 KJV And Boaz said unto her, At mealtime (1)come thou hither, and (2)eat of the bread, and (3)dip thy morsel in the vinegar. And she (4)sat beside the reapers: and (5)he reached her parched corn, and she did eat, and was sufficed, and left. 15 KJV And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the (6)sheaves, and (7)reproach her not:
7
DIVINE SETTLEMENT
Rth 3:1 KJV Then Naomi her mother in law said unto her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?
