Ruth, a widowed Moabite woman, found safety in the providence of God and in the fields of Boaz, her Israelite kinsmen redeemer.
Have you ever considered the fact that God called Abram, a man living in Ur of the Chaldeans, to come to Canaan and be the great father of the Israelite nation? God could’ve chosen someone already living in the Promised Land, but He didn’t. God called Abram to leave his people and his land and to go to a land that he would show him, and he did.
God chose a foreign-born woman, Ruth, to be the great grandmother of King David, the forefather of Jesus Christ Himself. God could’ve chosen Naomi herself, a Jew, but He didn’t. God called Ruth to leave her people and her land and to follow her mother-in-law back to her land, and she did.
And now, three thousand years later, God chose me, a young woman running from God, blaspheming His name, scoffing at His followers, to carry His Word across the world wide web to foreign nations around the world. He could’ve chosen my sister-in-law who grew up in church, but He didn’t. God called me to wake up before dawn, to turn on my computer and teach, morning by morning, and I’m trying. 😁
Heavenly Father, have Your way with me. Help me to trust You and walk humbly with You, my God. You are the God of Redemption and Power, the God of Holiness and Second Chances. You are the Tapestry-Weaving God of Life and Purpose. We worship You, Lord, and thank You for Your mercy. Help us to reach out to the foreigner dwelling among us for Your glory, never forgetting that You desire the worship of people all over the globe. We want to be faithful to make disciples of all nations. In the Name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
Are you looking for a family friendly advent devotional? Two years ago I got in print what had been in my heart, head, and mouth for the last decade with my own kids. I hope it blesses you. It’s available in paperback or ebook versions. Download a PDF of all 25 ornaments free here.
“From Creation to Christ: A Family Advent Devotional Tracing the Story of the Savior Through Scripture, Stories, Songs, and Pictures” by Kim Endraske
Day 11 of the Devotional is about Ruth and Boaz. Enjoy!
And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, “What evil is this that has taken place among you? Now therefore give up the men, the worthless fellows in Gibeah, that we may put them to death and purge evil from Israel.”
But the Benjaminites would not listen to the voice of their brothers, the people of Israel.
Judges 20:12-13 ESV
You have to read Judges 19 in order to understand Judges 20, so please start there. I wrote some thoughts on Judges 19 here. Now considering Judges 20, I’m thinking about how often people protect the perpetrators while turning their backs to the needy. Unfortunately it’s often the criminals with a good reputation who the community rallies to support while the lesser-known victims are left with no one to defend them. May it never be.
Jesus is the fulfillment of the prophecies of Isaiah 11 and Isaiah 61.
There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.
And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.
And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD.
He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear, but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.
Isaiah 11:1-4 ESV
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor;
he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn;
to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;
that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified.
Isaiah 61:1-3 ESV
May we be vessels of His mercy and justice, of His grace and truth. May we be impartial as He is. May we help the poor and broken, remembering that we are poor and broken recipients of God’s amazing grace.
I think Judges might be my least favorite book of the Bible. 🥺 Chapter after chapter we read how vile, wicked, foolish, and inhumane people can be. This chapter must be the worst of all!
First off, why does the Levite have a concubine in the first place? Then, why was the concubine unfaithful to him and why would she leave him to live with her father? And then, why does her father keep insisting on keeping the Levite so late into the evening? But it gets much worse from there … You’ll have to read it for yourself.
This morning, though, what I’m still thinking about for myself, is that this Levite didn’t want to stay the night in Jebus because it was a city controlled by heathens. He insisted that they keep traveling to the town of Gibeah, an Israelite town, where he expected to find safety and hospitality. And yet, Gibeah is the very city where his concubine was violated and abused all night, to her death. 😫
I find myself asking questions like these:
Are Christians today so perpetually angry, bitter, and selfish that we, likewise, are unable to be places of mercy for the wounded traveler looking for help?
Are Christians today safe spaces for our brothers and sisters in Christ to get a few moments of peace in the midst of the storms of life?
Are Christians today hospitable and generous to the stranger in our midst?
Are Christians today committed to protecting the hurting and needy, or do we send them on down the street to be devoured by wolves and taken in by frauds?
Are Christians today humble and kind to the broken, or are we so busy feeding our own flesh that we can’t be bothered to take care of others who need someone to throw them a lifeline?
Let’s be faithful to inspect our own eyes for the logs that are lodged there, instead of just pointing fingers at lost people doing what lost people do
Oh, Heavenly Father, break my heart for what breaks Yours. Thank You for Your saving grace. Thank You for pursuing me and bringing me into the safety of Your fold, for hiding me under the shelter of Your wings. Help me to do likewise. Give me eyes for the needy, the helpless, the hurting. Burden my heart for them. Set the captives free, Lord! Free those chained to addictions of all kinds, pornography and gambling, alcohol and drugs, selfishness and greed, laziness and gluttony. We need Your grace, Lord. Help us, Father, by Your steadfast, powerful mercy. In the Name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, we pray. Amen.
From the beginning of time, God knew that people would need signs to strengthen their faith in Him. When God created the sun, moon, and stars, He said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be forsigns and for seasons, and for days and years” (Genesis 1:14 ESV). A rainbow, a staff turned to a snake, and here in Judges 6, a wet fleece on a dry ground followed by a dry fleece on a wet fleece, have all been signs given by a good God to prove the truth of His promises, His Word, and even His existence.
I remember a time when I asked God for a sign that He was real, that He was out there somewhere. I was 15 or 16 years old, sitting in an empty grassy field on a college campus in Vermont where I was attending a summer debate camp. The vast blue sky, gentle breeze, and towering swaying trees were making me think.
When I wasn’t struck by lightning (or a Bible falling from the sky), I concluded that God must not be real. But, I was wrong. So wrong. In fact, God had given me signs of His existence in those very things – the sky, wind, and trees, the sun, moon, and stars – they were all pointing me straight to Him. ☝️ (Read Romans 1 and Psalm 19 for more on this.)
For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
Romans 1:20 ESV
God has also given us so many signs to point mankind to the Messiah, the Savior of the World, Jesus, the One who came into the world to save sinners like you and me. He took on human flesh, born as a human baby to a virgin mother, yet He was Immanuel, God with us. He was crucified without cause, the sinless for the sinful, the innocent for the guilty. Do you know Him?
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Isaiah 7:14 ESV
And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”
Luke 2:10-12 ESV
Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
Matthew 12:38-40 ESV
So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” But he was speaking about the temple of his body. When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.
John 2:18-22 ESV
God gave us all these signs so we would recognize the Messiah when He came the first time 2,000 years ago, but I believe He’s coming again … and soon! I hope you’re keeping your eyes wide open, being faithful to attend to your Father’s business while you’re eagerly watching for Him. Don’t be caught unaware like a thief in the night. Read Matthew 24 for more!
Heavenly Father, Thank You for sending Jesus in just the right way to just the right place at just the right time. Your Word is true and trustworthy. I pray that we would be found eagerly watching for You with our hands to the plow, bring about our Father’s business. I pray that we would be faithful to You and faithful to pursue the salvation of the lost. I pray for anyone who is reading this and has not yet bowed the knee to Jesus. I pray that today would be the day of their salvation, that they would wait for a sign no longer. In the name of Jesus Christ, our savior and our Lord, we pray. Amen.
As we enter this advent season, I hope you’ll order a paperback copy or ebook of my family Christmas devotional and trace the line of the Savior from Creation to Christ.
God has often asked me to do things that, frankly, I don’t want to do. I didn’t want to homeschool. I didn’t want to start a ministry to women who were continuing their pregnancy after finding out something was wrong with their unborn baby. And every time the Lord has told me to go talk to someone I’m having conflict with, I’ve tried to come up with excuses for why I’m not the right person for the job.
Why did God call Deborah to judge Israel? Why didn’t He choose Deborah’s husband, Lappidoth, or that mighty warrior, Barak?
Why did God choose Jael to put a tent stake through King Sisera’s skull? Wouldn’t her father or her husband or her brother or her son have been a better choice?
The answer to these questions is this: I have no idea. 🤷♀️
But I do know that God’s ways are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-8), and God uses the weak to shame the strong (1 Corinthians 1:27). I do know that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6, 1 Peter 5:5) I know that it is the Lord who gives both life and death (Deuteronomy 32:39, 1 Samuel 2:6), and He can use whoever He pleases to accomplish His purposes.
Is God calling you to do something hard, something impossible, something you don’t want to do?
Listen carefully to His voice.Fix your eyes on Him and allow Him to guide you by the truth of His Word and His Holy Spirit.
Fix your eyes on Him and allow Him to guide you by the truth of His Word and His Holy Spirit.
Walk by faith and not by sight.
Do the next thing – by faith in His power and might.
Heavenly Father, what a blessing and gift to know You, to be clay in Your hands. Use us for whatever You’ve called us to. Make us Your vessels, Your instruments, Your servants and ambassadors and ministers, that the lost would find hope and rest and peace at the feet of Jesus Christ, our deliverer and judge. In His Name we pray. Amen.
Read through the Bible in 2 Years: 2 Corinthians 5
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
2 Corinthians 5:17-21 ESV
Kelly Hall and I first met almost thirty years ago when I was a first year teacher at Central Institute for the Deaf in St. Louis, Missouri. Little did I know then how God would mightily use Kelly and her courageous faith in my life. Kelly and I had lost touch after exchanging annual Christmas letters for many years only to be reconnected about five years ago when I discovered that my faithful Memphis area prayer partner, Beth, also knew Kelly from their husbands’ mutual service in the air force in Texas! Isn’t God amazing?!? He is the great tapestry weaver.
I hope you’ll take a half hour of your time to tune in to my interview on Kelly Hall’s Unshakable Hope podcast and consider subscribing to be alerted as she releases new ones.
Read through the Bible in 2 Years: 2 Corinthians 4
For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.
2 Corinthians 4:5 ESV
Have you ever heard of the book, “Share Jesus Without Fear” by William Fay? This book solidified my belief in asking questions and genuinely listening to the person’s responses as an effective method of sharing the gospel. The book also encourages you to share the gospel directly from the scriptures, by suggesting seven key passages for the person you’re sharing with to read themselves. In fact, I’ve written these passages down in the pocket New Testament Bible that I carry with me in my purse. My only complaint about the book is the title. I’m STILL afraid to share — but I pray every day that the Lord will give me strength to overcome that fear.
I want to always be prepared to give away this pocket Bible, so I also wrote several key passages in the cover that are excellent for non-Christians or new Christians to study. I actually keep a second pocket Bible ready at home with these verses written in it, too, so when I give this one away, I’m already prepared to pop another one into my purse. I learned these passages from No Place Left ministries whose website has lots of great resources for evangelism and discipleship.
But, back to ‘Share Jesus Without Fear,” this book includes many excellent questions to ask to open the door for a spiritual conversation. Here are some questions that I hope might help you. I think these questions are appropriate to ask just about anyone given the right situation, whether a close friend or a stranger on an airplane.
Has anyone ever explained the basic beliefs of Christianity to you? Would you like me to share my thoughts with you?
Do you have any kind of spiritual beliefs?
Who is Jesus to you? Can I share with you who Jesus is to me?
Do you think there is a heaven or hell? How did you come to those beliefs?
If you died tonight, where would you go? If heaven, why?
May I share seven scriptures with you that changed my life?
Don’t be afraid to ask someone to meet you for coffee or a meal, asking them in advance if they’d like to meet up with you to talk about spiritual things. You might be surprised how many people would be willing to meet with you if you asked them! You’ll never know if you don’t ask.
Heavenly Father, I’m asking You to open doors for me to have a spiritual conversation with someone this week. I want to be a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ. I want to love my neighbor as myself. Jesus came to seek and save the lost, and I want to do that, too. Please give me courage and wisdom to be a witness and ambassador for the kingdom of heaven. In the Name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
Read through the Bible in 2 Years: 2 Corinthians 3
But their [Jewish] minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is brought to an end in Christ. But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart, but WHENEVER a person TURNS TO THE LORD, THE VEIL IS TAKEN AWAY.
2 Corinthians 3:14-16 LSB
Heavenly Father, I pray for the people of Israel. I pray that they will turn to the Lord Jesus Christ and have their eyes opened and their sins forgiven. I pray that You will protect them from the schemes of the evil one and use this time of testing and trial for their good and for Your glory. I pray that their hope and trust will be in You, the one true God, and Jesus Christ Your Only Begotten Son, the God-man, whom You sent to take away the sins of the world. I pray that the followers of Jesus in the nation of Israel will be steadfast in sharing the gospel and making disciples where they live. And I pray that each of us around the world will do likewise. I pray for Jewish people all over the globe, that the veil will be taken from their eyes as they seek You, Lord. In the name of Jesus Christ who is the way, the truth, and the life, I pray. Amen
Read through the Bible in 2 Years: 2 Corinthians 2
But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?
2 Corinthians 2:14-16 ESV
Seeing the news about the attack on Israel makes me nervous, but it also makes me excited to think that Christ will be returning soon! Just think: we might be the generation that gets caught up alive to meet Him in the air!
Dear sisters, are you ready for His return? Are you watching and waiting with eyes wide open? Are you prepared to meet Jesus face to face?
I hope that in these last days we will be faithful to share the gospel and to make disciples of Jesus Christ. Our aroma will be pleasing to God and pleasing to fellow believers, but to the lost, it’s going to be stinky. Don’t be surprised when others reject you and ridicule you. Even when the people next to you are yelling, “Turn out the light! I’m trying to sleep over here!” Keep on shining! God is pleased with your faithfulness.
Read through the Bible in 2 Years: 1 Corinthians 15
Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures…
1 Corinthians 15:1-4 ESV
Dear friends, no one will be compelled to follow Christ by listening to you complain and criticize. Sharing haughty arguments and brilliant expositions on lofty theological ideas isn’t the way to bring lost sinners to the feet of Christ. It’s the gospel. It’s the good news of Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, who died for our sins and who was raised triumphant from the dead, that draws people to faith. Share the gospel.
Ask questions. Listen thoughtfully to the answers. Share transparently about the struggles and joys of your own life. And share the gospel.
Jesus is who draws and saves. And Jesus is the Savior – not you. Friends, please, share the gospel.
Heavenly Father, thank You for the best news I’ve ever heard, the good news that the lost can be found and the dead can be raised through faith in Your Son, Jesus Christ, fully God and fully man who died in my place. I pray that You will send me where You want me to speak. Open my mouth to speak what You want me to say, and open my eyes to see the doors that You open for me. You are the One who saves. Make me a faithful steward of the gospel of Jesus Christ and of my testimony. For the glory of Your Name. Amen.
Teach What is Good 
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