*CHAPTER 1 | INTRODUCTION*
Somebody might ask me, why pastor are you talking about this this topic?
There is a reality in our journey, in the journey of our lives. The reality of separation.
I know it is not a topic we'd like to talk about because we don't want to think about it.
Probably it is one of the most difficult topic to talk about because we don't want pain in our lives.
Separation is not something we'd like to talk about. But the truth of the matter is that whether we like it or not, separation will happen in life.
And I just want us to come to a place where we don't live in denial of that reality of life.
Yes because sometime we don't want to think about it. Sometime we just want to brush it off because it can wake some memories back and it can cause some pain, some tears or and so forth but it is true separation is part of our lives.
In one way or in another separation will have to happen.
Without digging deeper in that, we want to read the book of Ruth. That is where we will find that topic and from there we will get some lessons and we will pray.
I pray that today will be that day Jesus will heal you and I in the name of Jesus Christ.
*CHAPTER 2 | EXTENSIVE BIBLE STUDY ON RUTH CHAPTER 1*
In the book of Ruth chapter one and we are in verse one, the bible says
Ruth 1:1 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 Bethlehemjudah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.
What we will do today is a Bible study actually of the first chapter of the book of Ruth.
PART 1 | SEPARATION FROM BETHLEHEM
In the book of Ruth, we find three separations that happened. The first separation is what we see in verse one where this family actually decided to leave Bethlehem.
The Bible says that they left Bethlehemjudah and went to the country of Moab.
That is the first separation.
However there are some observations which I am making and I want to draw on them.
*OBSERVATION 1 | THE STATE OF THE FAMILY*
The observation number one is the state in which this family left Bethlehem. So don't forget I'm talking about separation from Bethlehem.
When you go to verse twenty one of Ruth chapter one go to verse twenty one the bible says,
Ruth 1:21 | 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?
That gives you already an information that when they were leaving Bethlehem, they were full (in abundance) and they are returning empty.
So they left Bethlehem when it was dry meaning in the time of famine.
From that observation, brethren, I just want to let you know this ...
Lesson 1 | Don't make permanent decisions from temporary situations.
Now I want to let you know that the famine we see here in verse one was temporary. It was for a while. It was not forever.
Now go to verse six of the same chapter.
Ruth 1:6 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 how that the LORD had visited his people in giving them bread.
Why did she arise to return? Because she heard what? That there was bread in Bethlehem. Praise God.
Why did they leave Bethlehem? Because there was no bread. What happened later? Bread came.
Lesson 2 | Life has seasons.
Now I want you to know that we must be careful in life.
Tell your neighbor life has seasons. You can meet me in a season where I am that Bethlehem with no bread. But that season is not forever.
One day bread will come.
And you know? That is why I'm telling you the reality of separation. You might not like it but it is true.
There are people who will leave you when you are in that state of Bethlehem with no bread. There are people who will leave you because you can't provide. They will leave you because you don't have money. They will leave you because you can't give bread. They will leave you because can't pay the rent. They will leave you because you have nothing. And that is the truth and it is very much the truth and we see it on daily basis.
I know how painful it can be but it is the truth.
Do you confirm that there are people who leave others when they have nothing? Is it true? They have nothing and just you have no voice even in the house you cannot say anything.
And when you try to say something, they will remind you, "how much are you paying? Are you giving even? Are you buying bread? Are you paying the fees of the children? You have nothing to say."
I mean unfortunately it happened.
The family left Bethlehem because there was no bread. But in verse six, the bread came back.
Now let me prophesy on you...
● I want to prophesy over you that one day people will hear that God has visited you.
● Those who left you because you have nothing, one day, they will hear that bread is back.
They will say, "Ah. Don't you know? Don't you know? What is happening? Ah God has visited Bethlehem. What? Yes. God has visited Bethlehem. Can you imagine? Can you imagine?"
● Some people in this church will have global visitation. How do you call it?
Say with me ... Global visitation ...
And I want to tell you those who left the Word of life, one day, they will hear that this Church has a global destiny.
What did I say? This church has a global destiny.
Now, may you stop thinking local. Start thinking global.
Now, the Bible says that Naomi heard. And after she heard, she decided to return back.
So, there are people who will come to you when they will hear that you have something.
When they hear that you don't have, they leave you. When they hear that you have, they come back again with sweet words, "Oh darling. Oh baby..."
Friends, let me tell you something.
Lesson 3 | Don't ever despise somebody because of a chapter of his life.
Don't despise me today because of the level where I am. Don't despise somebody because he can't afford one to three. Because at any point in time, God can visit that person.
In fact, if you are that person, let me tell you ...
● God will visit you.
● You will host people in your house.
● You will feed as many as you can in Jesus name.
● Today, you are lacking bread. Tomorrow you will be looking for who to give bread to in Jesus name.
● Your life will change. I say your life will change.
● Say with me ... My situation will change.
Praise be the living God.
● If you are hopeless today, I just want you to keep hope. Your life will change.
But in another hand, there is something also strange.
Lesson 4 | Those who are in abundance today can lose it and be empty tomorrow.
Life is funny.
Those who don't have today, tomorrow they will have. And those who have today, tomorrow they might not have.
That is why somebody says that life has no balance. It is true.
And you will never know when you can lose everything that you have.
And these people lost everything. Everything is gone and totally gone.
That's why I want to encourage those who have something today.
Be careful because you might also lose what you have. It can happen.
I listen to those people who are billionaires today.
When I hear their languages like Elon Musk, he always says, "I am not sure of my tomorrow because at any point in time I can lose everything".
He always repeats that and I don't know why he repeats that, but it is the truth.
But I want to announce to those who have something today,
● You will never go down in Jesus name.
● You will never lack bread tomorrow in Jesus name.
But, you need to know and to understand.
Lesson 5 | Life has seasons
Now listen to me. Life is in phases. When we talk about phases, we talk about season. Life has season.
Life is seasonal.
There is a season where you have bread, you have money, you have cars, you have everything but there is a time also that will come where you might not have all those things.
Today, you can have strength and you have capacities, you have energy, you can move up and down.
Please, take advantage to serve the Lord at the maximum your potential because tomorrow you might not have it.
Remember Joseph.
Joseph says something to the king,
Gen 41:29 Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt:
Genesis 41:30 And there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land;
Genesis 41:31 And the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following; for it shall be very grievous.
So take advantage of the years of abundance because tomorrow you might lose it.
I thank God and I pray that God will help you. You see that?
Lesson 6 | Treat everybody with respect.
So Elimelek and his family left Bethlehem when Bethlehem was in famine, but now, they are coming back when Bethlehem has bread.
You never know the one you are mistreating today, you might find him in the stage and he can be the one to carry you or give you a lift.
Treat everybody with respect.
Lesson 7 | Life has a lot of surprises.
When I look at you, I am scared because I don't know what your tomorrow will be. That's why I respect people.
Receive the grace to respect people because you never know. You never know.
*OBSERVATION 2 | THE SERIAL DEATH IN THE FAMILY*
So, something also happened. That is the second observation.
When they left, they left as a family of four. But how many are are returning? One of four. The three died.
Lesson 1 | Life is personal.
My friend, life is personal.
That thing of ... "Yeah we are a family. We are a group...".
My friend, I, personally, don't believe that in that thing. I always believe Life is personal.
The question is this one ... How come three died and only Naomi remained?
I don't have any answer. I can't tell you unless maybe you have something to tell me.
I don't know why Naomi remained while Elimelek and the 2 boys died.
Friend, I beg you by the mercy of God, take your life personally. Faith is personal. The decisions of life are personal. No one can lighten a lamp for somebody else. You lighten your lamp alone.
No one can fuel his car to move somebody else car. When you fuel your car, it is your car that will move.
Please receive the grace to be personal.
They left Bethlehem when they were in abundance. And she is returning when Bethlehem is thriving, while she is struggling.
Lesson 2 | Don't depart from your Bethlehem.
Everyone has a Bethlehem.
I am addressing Elimelek now.
Dear Elimelek, you got blessed in Bethlehem. Now that you got the blessing, you believe that you have abundance and you say, "Ah I don't want that Bethlehem thing. Let me go to Moab".
My friend, Bethlehem is where you got the wealth. The abundance you have, you got it in Bethlehem.
And let me tell you. It can shock you. If you got the wealth in Bethlehem and you depart from it anyhow, you better know that Bethlehem will claim your wealth.
Bethlehem will claim saying, "You are leaving me because now I am hungry? Because there is no bread, you are leaving me?"
Bethlehem will claim and when Bethlehem claims, you will lose everything you got from there.
Lesson 3 | Do not run away from problems. Confront them.
Elimelek and family ran away from famine in Bethlehem, just to encounter death in Moab.
Tell your neighbor, don't run away from problems. Confront them.
Do you know that you can run away from some problem and you go to find some problems worse than what you are running away from?
Are you are you hearing me? Is it true? Yes.
You might say, "I think I should divorce and I should get another wife because this one is causing me problems"
Be careful because you can get married to the worst person ever under heaven who will terminate you in your life.
I don't encourage people to run away from problems.
Don't leave Bethlehem because there is famine. Don't leave Bethlehem because there are some problems.
I have learnt in my life to confront issues, to confront problems, not to run away from them.
And see what happened to them. They ran away from Bethlehem because of famine and they went to encounter death.
Who told you that Moab is safer than Bethlehem? Who told you that Europe is safer than Kenya?
See you see yourself what is happening in Europe. Crazy things.
The only safe place is where God wants you to be.
STUDY CASE : LOT AND ABRAHAM
Now let us go to Genesis chapter thirteen. There is another painful story of that man called Lot.
The Bible says in Genesis 13:5
And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents.
Are you hearing me? Now listen to me.
FACT 1 | From the text above, we learn that the blessings that Lot had, he had them because he was with Abraham.
I want you to understand that some blessings, you will get them because of your connection with some people who carry the blessing.
Lot was walking with Abraham and he was enjoying the Favour, the blessings that was in the life of Abraham.
Unfortunately, at some point, Lot said, "Ahah. I am rich. I have money. I have abundance. Abraham thing is an old man. I don't think I should be with him. Let me just depart and go from this man, this Mzee."
Remember. Abraham was the uncle and Lot was the nephew. Listen to Abraham the uncle talking to his nephew Lot in order to preserve the relationship.
Genesis 13:8 And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren.
Genesis 13:9 Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left.
Listen to how the greedy Lot is answering to his uncle.
Genesis 13:10 And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.
Genesis 13:11 Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.
For Lot, the place was so beautiful and so nice and he said to himself, "That is where I want to go. Because it is well watered. Everything is okay. I want to go there".
And Abraham said to him, "Oh! You want to go there? Okay nephew. Goodbye. Have a safe journey". And Lot left.
FACT 2 | It was just a matter of time. After he left, in chapter fourteen of Genesis, the king of Sodom together with Lot and their properties were made captive.
Listen to me...
May you know that you will enjoy some provisions in life because of your connections and relationships, not because you are smart, or beautiful, or clever. No.
May you be humble enough to appreciate every relationship that is a blessing to you.
See what happened next.
FACT 3 | The moment Lot disconnected from Abraham, we find in Genesis chapter fourteen, that he was already in trouble.
Some kings invaded the area and made him and his properties captive. And they went.
Why? I strongly believe that Abraham was the one covering Lot when they were together.
Please, I beg you by the mercy of God. Don't depart from the Abraham that God is providing for your life. It is a dangerous activity. I said a dangerous activity.
What did Abraham do? Abraham came to rescue this young man Lot and succeeded to take back everything that was taken.
And let's see what Abraham did. Abraham paid the tithe of the things that this man Lot has lost.
But there is something else I want you to consider.
When you to chapter eighteen verse seventeen, God said something, "Should I hide from Abraham that thing which I do?".
So, there was something that God wanted to do. He wanted to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah.
The question is this one ... Did God talk to Lot? No. He talked to who? To Abraham.
I guess Abraham was the one who was interceding for Lot.
Listen to me Word Of Life...
Lesson 1 | Some preservation you are enjoying in your life is because of the covering of this ministry.
Lesson 2 | There are some battles God is sparing you from because this man Kasuku is waking up at night to pray for you.
Now the moment you believe that you have arrived, then, you will know that you did not know.
The people of Israel went to Samuel and told him,
1 Samuel 7:8 And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto the LORD our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.
1 Samuel 7:9 And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt offering wholly unto the LORD: and Samuel cried unto the LORD for Israel; and the LORD heard him.
I'm asking you a question. Why did not the Lord hear the people? Because this man Samuel was the man who was the priest. He was standing at the altar to pray for the people.
Lesson 3 | I beg you by the mercy of God, don't disconnect yourself from your Samuel. Don't disconnect yourself from Abraham. Don't disconnect yourself from your Bethlehem. Why?
Because that is where your safety lies. That is where your blessing lies.
And hear me and hear me very well.
*OBSERVATION 3 | THE MANNER OF LEAVING BETHLEHEM*
And hear me and hear me very well.
I am so amazed by the way these guys left Bethlehem without protocol.
Can I tell you something? Go to 1 Samuel 10:25
It is written, Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before the LORD. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house.
I want to shock you today. Can I shock you today? Do you allow me?
Well. The Kingdom of God has manners. In Church, we need to teach/learn manners.
I like the way Lot and Abraham separated friendly and in peace.
Genesis 13:8 And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren.
Those are manners.
There is is something I noticed since I am in ministry. You will agree with me. It looks like some Christians are mannerless. Do you agree with me?
And the reason behind? Because we are all saved by grace.
Word Of Life, I want to preach/teach to you manners. Now listen to me. Please. I'm a father in the house. Okay? If my children decide/to move anyhow because I am saved by grace. re you safe because you are saved by grace? You are not safe.
I have come to understand from Scriptures that God watches over manners.
Let us read together ...
Malachi 1:6 A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?
Malachi 1:7 Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the LORD is contemptible.
Malachi 1:8 And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts.
Are you hearing that? God is the God of manners. I will not be ashamed to rebuke somebody who is mannerless.
And I have noticed that some people are very mannerless.
Please allow me to say this.
You cannot write to a man of God like me like you are you are writting to a passerby. No.
I saw a message of somebody who just sent a message... "Hey. Receive the tithe".
I felt angered and I told the PA, "Tell that person. I watch over manners. Tell that person that even if she sends her tithe, she should greet the pastor".
Tell your neighbor ... Learn to greet...
When I look at some people whom I never see, I don't know where they are. Maybe there was rapture. I do not know.
Let me tell you. God will bless you when you have good manners.
I was told by some of my colleagues back to Congo, "You just go and then the Bishop will bless you later."
I said, "What are you talking about? No. I will wait until he blesses me". It took years but I waited because of manners.
I can't be in a house like the Word Of Life Church where my bishop received me in nineteen ninety-five and just leave without even telling him that I am going. No. I cannot.
My Bishop was not ready to release me with his blessing. But I said to myself, "I will wait". And I waited until we parted ways in good manners.
Receive the grace of good manners.
I believe. That is my belief that those people (Elimelek and family) encountered death because of the way they left.
May we be people of good manners.
We need good manners even on the table. We cannot be eating and talking while on the table with others.
You cannot be yawning anyhow while in public with others.
Do you agree with me that we have such a problem of manners? Yes we do.
PRACTICAL ADVICES ON GOOD MANNERS
It is part of good manner to call an authority with his title before his name.
I don't care if you call me Kasuku. It doesn't matter to me but good manners matter.
Even president Ruto, it is good manner to call him excellence. That is good manners even if you belong to the opposition party.
Just because you are in politics does not mean that you can say anything you want.
When you dress, you should dress in a manner that your sensitive parts of the body are not exposed.
Our children need to learn good manners. I don't know if in school they teach manners. But I remember in our time, back to school, we were learning good manners. Did you learn good manners in school?
In school where we were, mostly in the seminary, we were forbidden to expose our chests. If the upper button of the shirt is opened, you are in trouble.
Look at us today. Trousers are below the bottom. We are in 2023 and I don't know the level in which it will go down in twenty twenty-five.
Inform the pastor and request the blessing if you feel your time to be in Church is over.
We need to bring good manners in Church.
Friend, if you feel like you want to leave the Word Of Life, can you just say, "Pastor, I feel like the Word Of Life is not my place. Can you please bless me and release me?"
I assure you that I will bless you and I will release you. Those are manners.
Couples should mind manners between them.
Sometimes, wives can be very much mannerless.
You can find a wife who abuses the husband in front of the children. That is not right.
Employers and employees should mind manners at work.
Even as we are working, can we have good manners.
If you are an employee, can you mind good manners even as you talk to your boss?
If you are the boss, can you mind good manners when you talk to the empployees?
Mind good manners while chatting on Social Media.
Those who work with me know that I always request manners.
You cannot write to me, "Good Morning". The question I will ask is ... "Good omrning who?"
Please, don't you feel good when I say good morning Josephine? Or Good morning Lucy? Or Good morning Mister Kimani.
Mind good manners when dealing with elders.
I call Mister Kimani because he's an elder. That is how we do.
I can never call him Kimani, though I can.
But just because I am a man of God does not mean that I should be mannerless.
But I call him Mister Kimani to respect him.
Mind good manners during the service in Church.
Can we be a generation of respect?
In the Catholic Church, if there is something I ever like, it is how to reverence the place of worship.
There are some people who are in Church and also chatting with people on WhatsApp and on Facebook.
That's why I always ask, "Can you do that when you are in the office of the President? Can you be on phone while in the office of the President? If you cannot do that, why doing that in Church before the King of kings?"
Mind good manners in your responsibilities and duties
Even as we are staying in my place, the PA will confirm that when there is delay in the payment of the rent, I send a message ... Please be informed that we delay a little bit because of 1 2 3...
Somebody who is given a responsibility in Church, he will just drop it anyhow, without notice, without even thinking that people are waiting.
People are mannerless because they are careless.
Mind good manners when waking up
Children, when you wake up in the morning make your bed. Even Jesus, when he rose from the dead, folded his graveclothes.
How do you wake up in the morning? How is the state of your bed?
Those are the manners of the kingdom.
That's why every prince in the kingdom is taught the manners of the kingdom. He is taught how to walk? How to sit? How to stand?
Mind how you dress in public.
You know? I'm coming before you with my suits as a way of respecting you. But I can also come with a short and justify myself because we are saved by grace. Right?
Have you not seen pastors who put on tight shirts and suits showing the shape of their bodies?
That is why I said, you need to learn manners called the manners of the kingdom.
Even breaking from toxic relationship, we need to mind manners.
I see some people here who were in toxic relationships. They were pressed to leave, but I told them, "Wait until God makes a way".
And God did.
Mind manners in the way you send official documents to your authority
I will condemn mannerlessness.
When you send a document, can you use official and polite formulas?
You cannot just download the document and send it as bomb in Jesus name. No.
Mind manners in the way you treat others
Don't be abusive toward others. Don't be abusive to those who work with you.
If you feel you are tired to work here, just say, "Pastor, I'm tired. I decide to move on or to shift elsewhere"
Hilda, are you hearing? Tabitha, are you hearing me? Lucy, are you hearing?
I will release you in peace.
PART 2 | SEPARATION FROM MOAB
The second one is the separation from Moab. But what was Moab?
Moab was a place of curse. The moment this family stepped in Moab is when they started losing everything.
Ruth 1:6 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 how that the LORD had visited his people in giving them bread.
My friend, I want you to be very much careful of Moab. Moab is a very dangerous place to be. Moab can be a place. Moab can also be people. Moab can also be individuals.
Listen to me. There are people who come in your life like Moab. The moment you come in touch with those people you will lose everything.
You need to know the impact a relationship has in your life. And you know what? That is the problem people have.
When Elimelek died, I believe it was already a red flag. Isn't it? Yes. They could have understood that something was wrong there.
You know? There are things that happen in your life that are red flags. But the problem is that people are so stubborn that they don't look into the red flags.
They waited until the second and the third died. They could have said, "Ah! Why? What is the problem? Why Elimelek died?"
Instead, they probably said, "Oh! Well! God has given. God has taken away. Let his name be glorified". No. There was already a message. There was a message.
Please. Listen to me friend. When something bad happens to you, don't say God has given, God has taken away, his name be glorified. No. You need to sit down and consult God and pray and find out what is happening there.
Don't wait until the next one dies. Don't wait until the next one dies. That is what happened with David.
After one year of famine, they did nothing. After two years of famine, they did nothing. Only after three years, they did nothing.
Relationships have impact in our lives. The place you are connected to has also an impact in your life.
CASE 1 | SOLOMON
Look at Solomon. In first King chapter eleven, you will find the impact of the relationship of Solomon with women.
1 Kings 11:4 For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.
1 Kings 11:9 And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice,
You need to always ask yourself a question when you are in a relationship.
- What is the impact of that relationship in my life?
- What is the impact of that relationship in my ministry?
- What is the impact of that relationship in my heart?
- What is the impact of that relationship in my daily life?
Don't you see yourself that the moment you started the connection with that individual your heart is moving away from the Lord?
Don't you see that you are going away from the Lord?
Don't you see that you are leaving the Lord? Don't you see that you are praying less? Reading the Bible less? Things are not moving in your life?
You need to know/learn to read red flags.
CASE 2 | JONAH
And you know the story of Jonah. The moment Jonah entered in the boat is exactly the moment where they started loosing things, the boat was not moving forward, they were going nowhere ...
Have you ever come in a place where you notice that the moment you start a relationship with somebody, your life, instead of moving forward is going backward? Have you noticed something like that? You better be careful.
And Jonah was to be thrown in the sea.
CASE 3 | HIEL
1 Ki 16:34 In his days did Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho: he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his firstborn, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun.
Do you understand the reason why those two children died?
Well. Because there was a curse. What I want to tell you is this, Moab was a cursed place.
And the moment you step into a cursed place, the effect will happen in your life in term of everything that's happening.
So, the solution was to depart from Moab.
PART 3 | SEPARATION FROM ORPAH
After the 3 ladies had experienced all that she experienced, time has come for them to return to Bethlehem.
They packed together. They took their bags and then they started going.
Ruth 1:7 Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters in law with her; and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah.
On their way back to Bethlehem, they were all crying together each one for the lost husband.
There is one thing I like with Naomi.
As they were walking, at some point, Naomi stopped the journey.
She said to her daughters-in-law, "No friend. I think we should think twice. I am comfortable that we go together like this. I think we have to consider some few facts before we proceed"
Now, that is where I am starting I start my message.
CHAPTER 1 | WHO TO ALLOW IN THE INNER CIRCLE OF YOUR LIFE?
I want to answer a question : Who to allow in the inner circle of your life?
I want you to know that not everybody is allowed to be brought on board in the journey of your life. Not everybody.
And I want to show to you some mistakes that we make in life even in relationships and those mistakes are dangerous for our lives. It can be in marriage. It can be in ministry. It can be in business etc.
So the question is ...
Who should I allow in my inner circle? Who should I allow to be to be close to me?
PART 4 | WHO TO ALLOW IN THE INNER CIRCLE OF YOUR LIFE?
I want to answer a question : Who to allow in the inner circle of your life?
I want you to know that not everybody is allowed to be brought on board in the journey of your life. Not everybody.
And I want to show to you some mistakes that we make in life even in relationships and those mistakes are dangerous for our lives. It can be in marriage. It can be in ministry. It can be in business etc.
So the question is ...
Who should I allow in my inner circle? Who should I allow to be to be close to me?
Let us read ...
Ruth 1:8 Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother's house: the LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me.
FACT 1 | Kindness is not a criteria of a successful relationship.
From this text, it shows very clearly that Orpah was a kind woman. Orpah was not a bad person. Orpah was kind toward her husband and also toward the mother-in-law.
But you know? At some point in life, I want you to understand that just because somebody is kind does not mean that they should be part of the journey of your life.
Suppose you want to get married. Is it enough to marry someone just because they are kind to you?
Suppose you want to hire a worker. Is it enough to hire them just because they are kind?
Kindness is not a criteria of a successful relationship.
So, Orpah and Ruth were kind, but for Naomi, just because they were kind was not enough.
It is like Naomi was telling them, "I admit you are kind but you your kindness does not qualify you. I don't want to travel with you because you are kind".
How many people got married with some kind people but in marriage things were worse.
Ladies, how many men started the relationship with you by bringing to you flowers and later changed their face?
Ladies, didn't it happen to you to say to yourself, "Surely that is the man of my life?"
Don't be fooled. Yes, Orpah and Ruth, you are kind, but your kindness is not enough.
Listen to me ... Don't make somebody be part of your inner cycle because they are kind.
FACT 2 | Some people are just looking for a shoulder to lean on, not a heart to connect to.
Ruth 1:8 And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother's house: the LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me.
Watch this ... When they heard their mother-in-law requesting them to return, see how they all responded in verse 9.
Can we read together?
Ruth 1:9 The LORD grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept.
How did they respond? They all wept ...
Now, let us go to the next verse ...
Ruth 1:10 And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people.
How did they respond. They all said, "WE" will return.
Now, please, do not add somebody in your inner circle based only in collective declarations.
Naomi never trusted those ladies on the basis of their declarations.
I want you to come to a place where you don't trust somebody because of what they say.
So many people said things to me when they were in trouble.
Listen to me. There are people who are just looking for a shoulder to lean on, not a heart to connect to.
I'm not bragging about it, but in my ministry, I wiped the tears of many. In this country and abroad. True? Yes.
So there are people who just come because they want their tears to be wiped. When their tears are wiped away, do they need you again? No.
So, what those two ladies were saying here were from a place of emotion.
Sometimes we make such mistakes. We bring people in our life based on emotions.
This woman Naomi was no longer moved by emotions.
Just because you cry does not mean I will allow you to go with me.
That is why you should be very much careful.
Listen to me.
Don't even start a relationship with people because you are feeling sorry for them.
Do not marry someone because he/she is an orphan.
Some women got married because the man was an orphan. And I am asking you a question, "Do you want to be his mother or his wife?"
If you marry him because you want to be his mother, that man will behave funny because he will be looking at you as a mother.
Also, you should know that you are getting married to a victim, he will make you a victim.
FACT 3 | Don't allow anybody in your inner circle who has nothing to do with your purpose of life.
Ruth 1:11 And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?
Wait a minute. Now Naomi is asking them a crucial question ... Why will you go with me?
It's like she is telling them, "Stop crying. Why will you go with me?"
That is powerful.
You need to come to a place where you make the purpose clear.
Don't allow anybody in your inner circle who has nothing to do with your purpose of life.
You need to come to a place where you ask to yourself, Why are you in the Word Of Life? Why are we in the media?
The first question Jesus ever asked in the Bible was toward his parents in Luke 2:49, "Why are you looking for me?"
Listen to me. There are people who have nothing to do with God's purpose for your life. Nothing.
FACT 4 | Anyone who is not ready for the process and the price, has nothing to do with your destiny.
And then, she asked the following question.
Ruth 1:13 Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD is gone out against me.
From this verse, it is like Naomi is telling Orpah and Ruth, "I don't have children for you. I don't have. In case you want husbands, I don't have. Will you be ready to wait until I will be pregnant, give birth and the children grow? Will you be able to wait?"
The question above is the test of process.
Listen to me. Anyone who is not ready for the process, has nothing to do with your destiny.
A man comes in your life. As soon as he comes, the first thing he wants is sex. That is a red flag.
When Amnon came to Tamar, he wanted sex. But Tamar told him, "Go. Talk to my father". We find it in ...
2Sa 13:12 And she answered him, Nay, my brother, do not force me; for no such thing ought to be done in Israel: do not thou this folly.
2 Sa 13:13 And I, whither shall I cause my shame to go? and as for thee, thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray thee, speak unto the king; for he will not withhold me from thee.
Amnon refused.
Listen to me. If somebody does not want to follow the process, he has nothing to do with your life.
Is that difficult?
Every relationship has a price to pay.
I was telling somebody, "My friend, you are hanging around this woman for long. Can you go and see her mother?"
He was just giving lame excuses, "I don't have money...blablabla..."
I told him, "My friend. It's not about money. It's about courtesy and commitment".
When I saw that he was not ready to commit, I concluded that he was a joker and that lady left him.
When you are in a relationship where there are only excuses and you are a burden, not a blessing, it is unhealthy.
Today, we have a generation of people who are not patient at all.
There are people who want the crown, not the cross.
They want the product, not the process.
They want the star, not the scars.
Friend, there is nothing instant in life.
Even the process of getting wealth takes patience, time.
You know? They were crying together, but the question is this one ... Were they crying over the same thing?
Now I believe that Oprah was the one who cried the loudest.
After crying, I could hear Orpah saying, "I can't wait. Waiting until you become pregnant again? No. I will die past menopause. I want children. I want a husband"
After pondering, what did Orpah do? She kissed her mother-in-law bye and left.
Let us do an exercise.
Compare with the test above, how do you interpret Orpah's departure?
1- She had nothing to do with the purpose.
2- She was not ready for the process and the price.
3- She was not patient.
FACT 5 | Not everybody who comes to you comes for you.
WHAT IS THE MEANING OF ALL THE ABOVE?
The meaning of it is that Orpah was not there for Naomi.
She came because she wanted a husband, not the relationship with Naomi.
That is why my friend, don't fool yourself. Not everybody who comes to you comes for you.
Tell your neighbor ... Not everybody who come to you come for you.
So, when somebody departs from you, may you come to a place where you stop crying over that person. He never came for you.
Listen to me. I have seen it.
All those you don't see in Church got a miracle from this place. All of them. Some got promotions. Some got businesses?
And the moment they ge what they needed, they leave. Why? They never came for you.
So, the question today is ...Why are you fooling yourself thinking that everybody who comes to you comes for you? Why are you fooling yourself?
If a man comes to you for sex. When he gets sex, will he still continue with you? He never came for you?
It is also true for Church.
Not everybody who comes to Church comes for Christ.
That's why Jesus said to the people who were following him,
John 6:26 Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.
So there are people who are following Christ, not because of Christ, but because of themselves.
That is why even as a pastor, don't fool yourself. Not everybody who comes to church come for you. They come for their own problems.
When the problem is solved, will you see them? No.
Hear me very well. I will still give you my time and my heart. I will still give you anything and everything I can give to you. But I'm not expecting anything from you.
It will show when you will have. Then, I will know.
PART 4 | RUTH CLEAVED
After Orpah departed, listen to what Naomi said,
Ruth 1:15 And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law.
This statement means in another word that Naomi was asking Ruth,
"Why are you here? Why did you not follow her?"
Let me ask you a question, do you think that Naomi was rude? What do you think about Naomi? Was she chasing people?
I don't think that she was rude. I believe that she was real.
Let me tell you something. I have nothing to offer to you. If you want a husband, I don't have a husband to give to you.
I have come to understand Ruth stayed because she she came for her.
How I pray that God will give me some Ruth kind of members who are in church just to be in relationship with God and with me.
You know what?
When people get what they wanted and they want to exit, they start with looking for excuses. They start looking for problems.
You will hear them saying things like, "Ah this Church. Ah the pastor doesn't keep time. You know? It is 10:20 already".
My question is this ... When you are struggling, was 10:20 a problem? Why now?
My message to such people ... Just pack your things and go. Don't look for problems.
You will hear them saying again things like, "Ah no. I think this pastor... I don't feel like there is love in this church. I think I should go away from the Church. Pastor is harsh.
My question is this ... If there is no love in the Church, are you the incarnation of love? You. Are you love made flesh? Is not your heart full of hatred?
My friend, since inception, I have been that way. Why have you not seen it when you were struggling and you see it now?
My friend, you have gotten the business you wanted. You are Orpah. Just go in peace.
What was the answer of Ruth? Can we read that together? What did she say?
Ruth 1:16 And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:
FACT 1 | YOU AND I
Do you see how she's arranging the pronouns? She's starting with Naomi and ending with her.
What is the lesson?
There are people who enter in relationships because of themselves. I. Me. Myself. Period.
My friend, you can't be selfish and be happy.
For the first time in my life, I've never listened to Apostle Suleman, I said, Let me listen to this man. I gave him some 30 minutes just to listen to him because I don't have time to listen to everybody.
He said, "I receive hundred of messages everyday. With all honesty, there are very few people who write just to appreciate me and find out if I am okay. All the messages are about ... pray for me, pray for my marriage, pray for my husband, pray for my children."
Can I shock you? Somebody this week bought for me socks. When I received them I was like, Wow.
Again, this week, somebody did shopping for the office.
Now, am I saying that because I need anything?
What I mean is we need to come to a place where you forget about yourself like Ruth.
When I try to figure what was in Ruth's mind, I can hear something like, "I know I need a husband. I need children. But your situation is urgent. I can't leave you alone because when you will go there, who will care for you? I want to be there for you. I see you have lost everything. I just want to be there for you".
Can you just be there for somebody who is in trouble?
Can you come to a place where you tell Jesus,
Even if you don't give me a marriage, I will follow you.
Even if you don't give me children, what I want is you.
Even if you don't open doors for me, I want you.
Even if the fees of my children are not given I want you. It is about you and I. Not about I and I and myself.
Can you reach that place where you tell Jesus like Peter...
John 6:68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
John 6:69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.
That is why I don't trust people until I see God blesses you.
FACT 2 | I WANT YOUR GOD...
Actually, what Ruth was telling her mother-in-law was a profession of faith.
Please, remember that Naomi lost 3 people : her husband and her two sons.
Now, Ruth is telling Naomi, Your God will be my God...
The question is this one ... How can you want the God of somebody who lost three people? Can you follow that Godl? Can you follow a God of somebody who has lost her husband and two children? Can you?
Orpah did not have that faith. That's why she left. She refused to be the next to die. (Laughter)
Can you remain in a Church even if according to you there are problems? Cab you remain because you want God despite problems?
Word of life, if there is something I treasure in my life, I treasure relationship. I want relationship.
That's why we are taking tea together after the service. It costs us something. It costs us money.
I want you today to come to a place of personal relationship. Greet people. Don't ever say, "I don't need you".
FACT 3 | THE REWARD OF FAITH...
And you know what? Orpah left Naomi and later Ruth became a mother of kings.
Can you clap for Ruth?
And do you know what made her cleave to her mother-in-law? It was faith.
Her faith was like she was telling Naomi, I'm not expecting anything from you, I'm expecting things from your God. Your God will be my God.
Wait. This church is a mega church. But this time we are spending here that is our Bethlehem where you will know who is who, who will stay, who will stand, and who will go.
You should know Word Of Life, I love you all.
CLOSING REMARKS
1- Some Orpah will leave your life because they have nothing to do with your future.
2- There are some levels you will never reach in life as long as as long as Oprah is around there.
3- So please can you today stop the mourning of the Oprah who left you? Can you stop that?
4- There is a great chapter in your life about to be opened.
5- There is a Booz you will encounter after Orpah leaves you. There are great people you will encounter after some Orpah leaves your life in the name of Jesus Christ.
6- Stop crying over that man who left you. Stop crying from today.
7- The future is bright. I say your future is bright. With or without Orpah, your future is bright. I say, your future is bright. I say your future is bright.
8- Orpah is not bad. She's kind, but she has nothing to do with your destiny. So, when somebody has nothing to do with your destiny, kiss them.
9- Somebody will ask, what about those who are married? If the Orpah spouse leaves, kiss them bye bye.
10- Can you be healed today from the people who disappointed you? Can you be healed today from people who disrespected you? Can you be healed today from people who did things to you and you are still ruminating over? My friend, be free because it can hinder your spirit.
11- Release some people in your heart today. Just let them go. Release them. Bless them. Speak good things over them. Tell God you know God thank you for Oprah. She was with me. But she's no longer there. My life continues. I go to my destiny. In Jesus name. Now just lift your voice and pray. Wherever you are.
PASTOR TD KASUKU
No comments:
Post a Comment