OPENING PRAYERS
Shekinah Greetings Word of life. I welcome you to the morning altar of prayer today. I believe you have been well. Have a blessed day today in the name of Jesus Christ. Now lift your voice where you are.
Father we thank you, we bless your name, we worship you in the name of the father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
I pray Lord let your word find expression in our lives and change us in Jesus Precious Name we have prayed.
And we all say amen and amen. Glory to God.
INTRODUCTION
We are still in the book of Ruth and we are now in chapter two.
Let us go to our Bibles in Ruth chapter number two.
In Ruth 2:1, the Bible says, "Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a mighty man of wealth of the family of Elimelek and his name was Boaz".
We will stop there but ah we will continue as we proceed during the week.
Today, I want to talk to you about my case is different.
That is what I will be talking about the whole week and the coming Sunday is my case is different Sunday service.
Why am I saying this?
Well, I'm saying this because in this text we are introduced to a new personality which was not there since the beginning of our study.
We saw at the end of chapter one that there were only 3 ladies, 3 widows : Naomi, Orpah and and Ruth.
Now, in chapter two verse one, we are ah introduced to a male personality.
Elimelek died. Machlon and Chilion died. Naomi remained alone. She lost everything.
And after all that happened the Bible introduces a man who survived the famine, who remained powerful.
And as I was preparing the teaching, I could hear the Lord telling me through this man ... Your case is different... My case is different...
When others will collapse, your case is different, you will not collapse.
When others will go down, your case is different, you will go up.
When others will be burying their relatives, it will be minus you and I because my our case is different.
And I see Boaz as a practical example of my case is different.
And I was wondering myself, what did he do? For his case to be different. What did he do to survive in the midst of the crisis, the storm and stood firm and overcame.
There are seven things I want you to mind in your life. For indeed your case to be different.
Number one, mind your identity. You are unique. You are not like others.
Number two, mind your foundation, the stronger the foundation, the sure the future.
Number three, mind the voice you are listening to. Have discernment of the voice you are following. Some voices can cause you in trouble.
Number four, mind your covenant with God. God is the covenant keeping God, not the father Christmas God.
Number five, mind your character. Your character is when your act and your your heart are in synchronization.
Number six, mind Godliness. Godliness is the image of God revealed through your life.
And finally number seven, mind your faith. Love is a verb. Faith is a verb. Faith is in the act. Faith is in the heart.
Those seven things are what will make your case to be different in this generation.
I'm waiting for you this coming Sunday. This will be my case is different Sunday service and your life will not be the same again.
In Jesus name. Amen and amen.
7 THINGS TO MIND FOR YOUR CASE TO BE DIFFERENT
Now let us break it down and look at it from the life of this man called Boaz.
So what are the seven things you need for your case to be different?
NUMBER ONE YOU NEED TO MIND YOUR IDENTITY.
Mind your identity.
I am amazed when I look at the name of of Boaz. Boaz means my strength is in him. Strength in him meaning strength in God.
Mind your identity.
So, if I compare Boaz with Elimelek, I see two different people with different responses to the famine.
You know? Elimelek means my God is king. So, Elimelek was just called Elimelek just by name. But when you look at Boaz, Boaz was not only named Boaz, Boaz was living his name. Meaning he knew his identity.
It's like Boaz could say my name is strength. So, even in the midst of the famine, strength is in me. Even if I'm going through tough time, my God is my strength.
To help me understand that this man called Boaz knew who he was.
I like a Scripture in Nehemiah chapter number six verse eleven. And I said should such a man as I flee and who is there that being as I am will go into the temple to save the life I will not go in.
That is a man who says, a man like me, I cannot run away. Why? Because he knew who he was.
Now if you want your case to be different you better know who you are.
There is a story of the seven sons of Sciva who came to cast out a demon.
And when they were casting out the demon, the demon asked them a question, "Who are you?"
And the Bible says that they could not answer. As a matter of fact, they were beaten properly by the devil until they ran away naked.
Why were they beaten? Because they didn't know who they were.
That is why I want to ask you a question. Do you know who you are?
Answer me, answer me, answer me. Do you know who you are?
Your case will be different if you know who you are.
Boaz knew his name means strength. I could hear him saying, "My name is strength. I will not run away from the famine".
You know? We have a problem today even in Christianity.
The problem we have is that what we say is very different with who we are in reality.
You know? In Acts 11:26, the Bible talks about the first disciples of Christ who were called Christians.
Why were they called Christians? Simple. Because the life of Christ was manifested in them.
So Christian was not their name. The life they were living gave them the identity of Christian. That is why I say that you need to mind your identity.
Who are you? Who are you?
The Bible says in Romans 12:2, "Don't be conformed to the world". Why? Because you are different.
You must mind your identity. Before we talk about the case to be different in yourself, yourself, you must know that you are different.
Jesus says in John 15:19, "You are in the world but you are not of this world".
Elimelek and his family is a proper case of people who did not know their identity and because they did not know their identity, they went to Moab to find refuge there.
Friend, I pray for you to receive the grace to know your identity. Live by your identity. Know who you are. Where others are bribing, you should not be the one bribing. When others are sleeping before marriage, you should not be the one sleeping before marriage. When others are living corrupted, you should not live corrupted.
That is what made Boaz to be different. He knew his identity. He knew who he was.
NUMBER TWO | MIND YOUR FOUNDATION.
When you read the Bible in Matthew chapter number seven verse twenty four to twenty five, the Bible says,
"Therefore whoever hears these sayings of mine and do does them, I will liken him to a wise man which built his house on a rock. 25 and the rain descended and the flood came and the wind blew and beat on the house and it fell not for it was founded on a rock.
Mind your foundation.
I've come to understand that the reason why Boaz remained prosperous after the famine that was going through the land, was because of his foundation.
I don't believe that Naomi and his family left Bethlehem because of the famine.
No, I don't believe.
But I believe that they left Bethlehem because of their foundation. They had wrong foundation.
The text we have just read today concerning the 2 houses shows to us that we all face the same problems, the same rain, the same flood, the same wind.
Indeed, those two houses faced the same problem, the same challenges, but the response from each one was different according to the quality of the foundation.
So, the reason why this man Boaz stayed firm in the midst of the famine, was because of his strong foundation.
So, I believe that since his name was Boaz and Boaz means strength, his name was the reflection of the foundation of his life. Which means in other word that he had a strong foundation.
To confirm it, in fact, in first King chapter seven verse twenty one, the Bible talks about two pillars. And those two pillars were at the entrance of the temple that Solomon built.
And first king seven twenty one the Bible says that there were two columns one was Jakin and the other one was Boaz.
So, you understand that for your case to be different in the midst of confusion, in the midst of crisis, you need a strong foundation.
Now, when I talk about a strong foundation, I am talking about the root of your faith.
Remember in the book of Matthew chapter thirteen verse 21, the bible talks about a man who listened to the Word of God, but when affliction came, difficulties came, persecution came, opposition came, he was offended. Why?
Jesus says, "... because they had no root..."
That's why I want to pray that God will help you mind your foundation.
Why marriages are collapsing? Not because marriage is a problem but because people the foundation of what they are building is wrong.
In Psalm eleven verse three, the Bible says that if the foundation be wrong what the just can do.
So the problem is the foundation.
Remember. Jesus says, I will build my Church, in Matthew sixteen verse eighteen, and the gate of hell shall not prevail.
He says, "You are Peter and upon this rock, I will build my Church".
The one who builds on the sand are those believers who are not serious with themselves.
I told you there is a great crisis coming.
A global crisis coming. And many many will fall one after another. Many big names will fall one after another. But for you, mind your foundation.
If the rock in Jesus is your foundation, you will survive and you will not be touched the way Boaz survived after the famine.
May God give you the grace to mind your foundation.
NUMBER THREE | MIND THE VOICE YOU LISTEN TO.
In Ruth chapter number one verse six, remember that the reason why Naomi came back to Bethlehem was because she heard that there was bread in in Bethlehem.
I strongly believe that the reason why they left Bethlehem was because they heard that Moab was safe.
Mind the voice you are listening to.
Some voices you listen to can cause you and put you in so much trouble.
And I believe that Boaz also probably heard the same voice.
Remember that when Isaac wanted to go down to Egypt, God spoke to him. And he told him don't go. I pray that you receive the grace to listen to the voice of God.
In John 10:5, the Bible says ... My sheep listen to my voice and then follow me.
For your case to cake to be different, it will show by the voice you are listening to. What is the voice?
When you read Genesis 7:23, the bible says, "Every living substance was destroyed which was upon the first of the ground. Both man and cattle and the creeping things and the fowl of the heaven and they were destroyed from the earth. And Noah only remained alive".
Why did he remain alive? Because he was able to listen to the voice of the Lord.
In Hebrew 11:7, the Bible says very clearly, that Noah heard the voice of God and was warned of things not seen as yet.
Receive the grace to listen to the voice of God. Be careful with the voice you are listening to. Your case will be different as per the voice you are giving your ear to.
Receive the grace to listen to God.
I believe that Boaz listened to God.
Because remember Genesis twenty-six verse two.
There, the Bible says that the Lord appeared unto Isaac when he was about to go down to Egypt. And God said, "Don't go down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of".
I pray you receive the grace to listen to the voice of God. I pray you receive the grace to listen to the voice of God in the midst of the crisis.
When God tells you to move, move. When God tells you, don't move, don't move. Stay where you are. That is what will secure you. That is what will make your case to be different. The voice you are listening to.
You are listening to the voice of people don't go to church. Don't go to this Word of life. Don't go there. Don't pray. Don't serve God.
And the people you are listening to will not help you when trouble will come.
You see? Elimelek heard the wrong voice and went to Moab. Then there, they lost everything.
In John 10:5, Jesus says, "My sheep listen to my voice and they follow me".
When you follow the shepherd, you will never be a victim of the lion, of the bear and of the wild animals.
KEY NUMBER FOUR | MIND YOUR COVENANTS WITH GOD.
In Psalm ninety-one verse seven, the Bible says, "Even though a 1000 may fall dead beside me or 10, 000 at my right side, they will not come near me".
And I believe that Boaz resisted in the midst of this because of the covenant. We will understand later.
In Isaiah sixty the verse two, the Bible says, "Behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people, but the Lord shall arise upon thee and his glory shall be seen upon you.
Why you? Because of the Covenant.
In Psalm eighty-nine thirty four, God says, "My covenant will not break, Nor alter the Word that came out of my mouth". God is covenant keeping God. He will keep you if you keep his word.
The Bible says in Revelation 3:10, "Because thou hast kept my patience,I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation which will come upon all the world".
If you keep the covenant, God will keep you.
The Bible says in Psalm 74:20, "Mind the covenant because the dark places of the earth are full of habitation of cruelty".
Friend, mind your covenant. Don't listen to those preachers who are attacking the tithes, the offerings, etc.
Those are false prophets who want to distract you from whatever is coming. Remember. I told you that a major crisis is coming ahead.
And what I'm teaching you is what will help you.
Mind the covenant of prayer. Daniel was in Babylon. He kept his covenant. He said, "I will not eat what others are eating".
When crisis came, he was in the den of lions. The king came and asked him, "Daniel, servant of the living Gd, is thy God whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?" (Daniel 6:20)
And Daniel answered in Daniel 6:22, "My God hath sent his angel and hath shut the mouths of lions"
God says in Exodus 23:25, "Ye shall serve the Lord your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water, and I will take away sickness from the midst of thee".
Mu friend, serve God in the Church where you are.
Mind your service,
Mind your covenant.
Time will be very much tough. But not for those who are in the covenant.
That is what helped Booz to sustain and protect his wealth.
Remember. God says, "I will rebuke the devourers for your sake". Not for the sake of the Church. Not for the sake of the pastor.
Those who left Bethlehem and went to Moab, went to an uncovenantal place. There, they lost everything. But those who remained in the covenantal place were protected. God will protect you as you remain in the covenant.
Even if there was famine, Isaac remained in the land where God told him to remain.
In Genesis twenty-six verse twelve, Isaac sowed in the midst of famine and reaped Hundredfold in the midst of the famine.
Booz was in the famine. He remained wealthy because of the covenant.
My friend, do not blame God.
You see now? This woman Naomi in Ruth 1:21 is saying, "I left here in abundance. The Lord has testified against me, the Almighty hath afflicted me"
Don't blame God. Blame yourself. Is the Lord who told you to go there?
And there are many people who will cry. Many will blame God. We have teachings everyday. Others are minding the teaching, others are not. It's up to you. It is your choice.
NUMBER 5 | MIND YOUR CHARACTER. MIND YOUR INTEGRITY.
In Job 22:29, it is wwritten, "When men are cast down, then, thou shalt say, there is a lifting up.
Job remained a man of integrity despite everything he went through (Job 2:10).
And obviously and eventually, God restored everything unto him (Job 42:10).
And I believe that Boaz was a man of integrity. And I also believe that Elimelek and company were not people of integrity.
How can you in the first place go in the foreign land and leave the country where you are and go to Moab? You go to Moab doing what there?
That is lack of integrity.
What is integrity?
Integrity is when your act synchronises with your heart.
Integrity is when what you say match with what you do.
That is integrity.
Elimelek just kept the name of Elimelek, meaning My God is my king. But in practical term, he was not living it.
The time Abraham went to Egypt because of famine is when he started lying about his wife. (Genesis 12:10/13)
When men are cast down then I shall say there is a lifting up because of integrity.
Integrity is to be outside who you are inside.
Mind your character and I believe that Boaz was a man of strong character, because his name means strength.
I will not bribe because others are bribing. It can work for a while but it will not work forever. Every act of dishonesty will catch up with you sooner or later. Mind your integrity.
The Bible says in Proverbs 2:7, "He is a bucklere eto them that walk in uprightly".
Integrity is a shield. It shields you against accusations, etc.
When Daniel was in the den of lions, he came out and he told the king in Daniel 6:22, "My God nath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouth... forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and aso before thee, O king, O king, have I done no hurt"
Meaning that what they were accusing Daniel of, they could not find it in him. That is integrity.
Integrity is keeping your word. You know the promises you made to God in your time of trouble ... Oh when God blesses me, Pastor Kasuku, I will do this or that ...Now that God has blessed, are you keeping your word?
That is lack of integrity.
Boaz kept his word because of his integrity.
Elimelek and so forth lost because of lack of integrity.
They ran away from God when they found themselves that they were okay. And God caught up with them and brought them back empty.
You promised that God when God blesses you, you will give back 10% of what you have. God did it. But did you keep your word?
NUMBER SIX | MIND GODLINESS.
In Psalm thirty-two verse six, we read, "For this shall every man that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found. Surely in the flood of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him".
You see? What made Boaz to stand in the midst of the famine was Godliness.
Godliness is the reflection of God's image through you.
Godliness is to be more like God. It is to be like God.
It is to mind pleasing God.
Can you imagine?
This man Boaz was an aged man and he was not yet married. He did not have a wife. Did he not have opportunity to have wives? Maybe he had. But he was a Godly man.
Are you a Godly man? Are you a Godly woman?
Godliness is revealed through your talk. Do you have a Godly talk?
Godliness is revealed through your walk. Do you have a Godly walk?
Godliness is revealed through sexuality. Do you have a Godly sexuality?
Godliness is revealed through thoughts. Do you have Godly thoughts?
How do you carry yourself? Can you say that it is reflecting your identity? Can you say that it reflects God?
Boaz was a Godly man and in the midst of the famine, God preserved him.
That is what made his case to be different.
And I believe that the fact that Naomi and her hubby left Bethlehem, was a very clear proof of ungodliness. And you know that Moab was an ungodly country.
That's why the Bible says concerning Orpah after she left that "Orpah left and went to her gods". (Ruth 1:15)
When you don't have God as God, you are ungodly. When you have other gods than the God of Israel, you are ungodly.
That is why in Psalm thirty-two verse six, the Bible says, "For this shall every man that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found. Surely in the flood of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him".
If you are Godly God will protect you. If you are Godly, God will answer your prayer.
Many people are asking God to bless them but they are very much ungodly.
NUMBER SEVEN | MIND YOUR FAITH.
I believe that Boaz stayed in Bethlehem because He trusted God.
And I believe that Elimelek and the family did not have faith.
Boaz stayed believing that God will provide.
Remember Caleb.
In Joshua fourteen verse ten, he says, "Now behold, the Lord had kept me alive. And he said, these forty five years even if even since the Lord speak this word unto Moses when the children of Israel wandereth in the wilderness and now, Lo, I am this day fourscore and five five years old".
You see that? Caleb said, "God has kept me alive".
Remember. Caleb got a promise from God in the midst of the the desert. And he came out of the desert saying, "The Lord has kept me alive".
Why? Because he put his faith in God.
Love is a verb.
Faith is a verb.
And I have come to understand that Boaz was a man of practical faith.
So when I talk about faith, I'm not talking about theoretical faith. I am talking about practical faith.I am talking about Faith with actions. Not faith with a assumption.
When the storm came, the wind blew, everything was crazy, the famine was heavy. He was in the faith. He stood in the faith. He was strong in faith like Abraham as we can read in Romans 4:19-21.
Romans 4:19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb:
Romans 4:20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
Romans 4:21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
The Bible says in Psalm 37:19, "In the midst of famine you shall be satisfied"
Boaz stayed in the famine trusting God and God preserved his wealth and he came out of it. His case was different.
Do you want your case to be different? Go back to those seven things. Mind them in your life. It will make a difference in your life. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
CLOSING PRAYERS
Lift your voice and pray. And tell God
Lord I come to glory before you in the name of Jesus. I come to cry unto you for help. Lord I can't make it on my own. I need you. I need you oh Lord. I need you oh Lord in the midst of the famine.
In the midst of the the chaos in this world. Lord I pray that indeed my case will be different. Lord I pray now can you pray for the anointing the kind of Boaz anointing that the seven things that were found Boaz can you pray that they will be found in you in this season.
Can you pray?
Lord I pray that you release in me the anointing that will help me to know my identity.
Lord I pray the anointing to release in me to mind my foundation as I'm building my walk with you. I pray that you give me the grace to mind the voice I'm listening to in this time in the name of Jesus Christ. I pray that you help me oh God as we are living in this world to mind my covenant with you.
Help me to be a covenant keeper. Oh God almighty in the name of Jesus not a covenant breaker and his family. Help me to mind my integrity oh Lord to be to be who you want me to be and to mind Godliness in the name of Jesus help me to mind my faith as I'm living in this world. Lord I declare that what affect others will not affect me.
I declare and I decree oh God that the famine that is that is around the crisis that is coming even that is going on now.
It will be minus me and my family in the name of Jesus I will not lack bread, I will not lack food because you will be providing for me in the midst of the famine. Lord you did it with Joseph, you did it with Boss, you will do it also with me in the name of Jesus Christ.
I trust in you, I believe in you, it shall be so in my life. Thank you Lord because indeed my case is different. Oh Lord as we come this Sunday our case is different. We believe in you as we go out today our case is different. In the name of Jesus Christ
Let the case of each one be strength oh God and let it be known oh God that indeed your word never lies.
Have a good day and blessed day ahead of you in Jesus name we meet at night for the midnight praise in Jesus name I love you all and let it be clear that your case is indeed different in Jesus name amen and amen
Pastor TD KASUKU
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