*OPENING PRAYERS*
Let us pray as we start the session of today.
Father, thank you in the name of Jesus for this session today. We believe in you that you will minister to us and you will empower us by your grace in the name of Jesus Christ the son of the living God we have all prayed and we say amen and amen.
*INTRODUCTION*
Today, I want to talk to you about an interesting topic. I will talk to you about the five signs to know whether she is a wife or a knife. It means another word that I just want to find out the difference between a wife and a knife because you know a wife is a woman who brings life.
Do you remember Eve in the Bible? Eve was called Eve because the name Eve means life. A woman who is a knife brings death. So if you marry a knife you have married death.
Proverbs chapter fourteen talks about the difference between a wise woman and a foolish. The wise builds. The foolish destroys with her own hand. A woman who destroys brings death. She is not a wife. That one is a knife. She kills. She destroys with her own hand. She destroys with her mouth.
*WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF A WOMAN WHO CAN BE A WIFE?*
So, what are the sign that a woman is a wife.
When you read Proverbs eighteen verse twenty-two, the Bible says, "He who finds a wife find favour from the Lord". If a woman is a wife, you have found favour. There is a a version that says you find a treasure not a trash.
Proverbs thirty one talks about the virtuous woman and the Bible says that her husband praises her, even her children they praise her.
Proverbs 31:28 Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.
Today I'm talking to men. Dear man, not every woman is good to be a wife. I say again not every woman is good to be a wife. And you might ask me a question, what are the signs that I can know that this one can be a wife?
*SIGN 1 | A WOMAN WHO CAN BE A WIFE HAS A MADE UP MIND*
And you know. I will tell you the truth there are women who are there in town who don't know what they want.
Just let me give you a simple example. If you are not ready to sacrifice yourself for the relationship as a woman, you better remain single.
If as a wife you don't want to be told what to do, you better remain single. Because being single allows you at least to do what you want to do, to go where you want to go you and live your life for freedom.
That is what we see in Ruth. Ruth was a woman with a made up mind.
In Ruth 1:16-17, we read, "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: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me".
Ruth is a woman with a made up mind. She is a woman who knows what she wants. She means what she says and she says what she means.
When she says, yes, it is yes. When she says, no, it is no.
That's why if you are a man, I want to discourage you to marry a a woman who who is like Lot's wife. When they were leaving Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot's wife looked back and she became a pillar of salt. A woman who doesn't have a made up mind is not ready to be a wife.
When you read the book of Job chapter two, when Job was going through adversity, his wife came and told him, "Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die". Job 2:9
If you have a wife who doesn't have a made up mind,
1- You will never go forward with her. You will never advance in life with her.
2- She will push you to sin. It means that when trouble will come, she will leave you. Don't we see women here who compromise because of adversities? That is the kind we saw with Orpah.
Orpah was crying, but somehow somewhere she left. That's why if a woman doesn't have a made up mind, she will be a knife to you. She will pierce your heart for real.
Ruth told her mother-in-law, "Where you go, I will go. Where they will bury you, they will bury me. No matter what lies ahead, I will go with you".
3- She will not stay in the process.
Ruth was that kind of woman who was ready to stay in the process. It is like she was telling her mother-in-law, "You know mother-in-law? I know that you don't have what you can give to me. Know that I'm not following you because of what you can give to me. I am following you because of who you are. I am following you because of your God. Your God will be my God. I don't care what you don't have or what you have, but I will follow you".
So, if you can be able to find a woman who has a made up mind, stick to that kind of woman.
What am I saying? We have people in Church who don't have a made up mind. They are just there following anyhow. And at some point, you see them disappearing and you can't see them. You don't know where they are.
Can you call yourself a Ruth? No. I don't think so if you don't have a made-up-mind. I don't know if I'm talking to somebody. I just pray that God will help somebody listening to me today. May God give you the grace to have a made up mind.
My friend, if you are not ready to make up your mind, don't get married. Just remain where you are period.
*SIGN 2 | A WOMAN WHO CAN BE A WIFE IS MEEK*
Ruth was not just steadfast. She was also meek. Meekness means in an another word humility. Ruth was a humble kind of woman.
When you read Ruth chapter two verse two, Ruth the Moabites said unto Naomi, "Let me now go to the field and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace and she said unto her, go my daughter"
You see meekness? Those are the things you need to consider. Those are the things you need to find in a woman who can be a wife.
Let me repeat that again. Not every woman is qualified to be a wife. Somebody can be angry at it. I don't care. Not every woman who is qualified to be a wife.
Ruth is asking for permission from her mother-in-law, "Hey, mother-in-law, please, I want to go to to glean somewhere there."
You see? That is the spirit of a woman who can be a wife. She respects authorities and those who are above her.
Beware of a woman who is self sufficient. Beware. Meekness is not weakness. Meekness is strength.
When Ruth went to the field, we read in verse three of Ruth chapter two that she was behind the reapers. That shows again that she was very meek.
Ruth 2:3 "And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech".
You know? Meekness is in the heart. In Matthew chapter eleven verse twenty eight to thirty, Jesus says, "I am meek in the heart".
Matthew 11:29 "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls".
Meekness is in the heart. You will know a woman can be a wife and a good one, not a knife, when she is meek.
We have many proud women there in town. So proud that you can't tell them anything. Receive the grace of meekness. If at all you are a lady and you are expecting God to restore you and bring you your Boaz, be meek.
Today, we have many knives around there who are scattering relationships. A woman who can say, Nobody can tell me anything is not and cannot be a wife if at all. She is a knife. Lady, if nobody can tell you anything, even your husband, why are you then married?
Listen to me. I'm talking to women today. It takes grace for you as a woman to be a wife. Not every every woman is qualified to be a wife. It takes grace.
Maybe you are there and you are praying, "Oh! God almighty! Oh! God almighty! Help me! Oh! God! Find a husband. Oh! God help me to be established in marriage", but you are too proud, you are far from being answered. God gives grace to the humble. If you want to enjoy that kind of anointing, you need to learn meekness. If you cannot submit to a man, remain single.
James 4:6, He gives more grace to the humble.
How to know when you are meek?
Fact 1 | You will know meekness in how you are appreciative.
Meekness is showed through appreciation. You will know a meek woman by how she appreciates. When Boaz talked to Ruth, she fell on her face and bowed herself to the ground and said unto him why have I found grace in thine eyes that thou shouldest take knowledge of me seeing I'm a foreigner?
The reason she bowed down is a way to show appreciation. That is meekness.
Fact 2 | You will know meekness when you don't have entitlment.
A woman who is full of entitlement can't be a wife. Don't you know I have a degree? If you know that you have a degree, why don't you marry your degree?
A woman who is meek is a woman who doesn't have any entitlement. She understands and says like Ruth, I'm not entitled. It's grace. Oh Lord it is your grace. Why did I find grace? It is you oh Lord. I'm just bowing down. I just say, Lord it is you. A woman who has such attitude is a wife. I pray for somebody to receive the spirit of meekness today.
Fact 3 | You will know meekness when you are grateful
Don't ever marry a woman who is ungrateful. A woman who takes things for granted. We have many women today who take things for granted. They are not grateful for whatever is done for them.
Ruth bowed and said, "Oh it is just the grace of God. Why did I found grace?" We have women here in town who never say thank you no matter whatever you do for them.
I've seen it in my country. Not here in Kenya. Don't misunderstand me. I've heard women saying to their husbands things like, "What have you done for me? Because you bought for me airtime, do you think that you have given me heaven?"
*SIGN 3 | A WOMAN WHO CAN BE A WIFE HAS MANNERS*
You will know a woman who can be a wife by her manners. Today, women emphasize on their bodyshape thinking and believing that a shape is what makes a woman. No. What makes a woman is manners.
There are women who are very much mannerless. They can talk to their husbands and treat them like doormats. A woman told me one day, you better have sorry for yourself because what I was, what I was about to tell you, you could have torn your clothes.
*SIGN 4 | A WOMAN WHO CAN BE A WIFE IS A MODEL*
A model by how she talks. A model by how she listens. In the field where she was working, Ruth was a model of diligence.
Ruth 2:7, "And she said, I pray you, let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves: so she came, and hath continued even from the morning until now, that she tarried a little in the house."
You see? Since Ruth came to work, she continued working from morning until evening.
Listen to what Boaz is saying about her ...
Ruth 2:11-12, "And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been shewed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore. Rth 2:12 The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust".
If at all you are not yet married, it is good for you to pray to encounter such a woman and ask yourself a question, "Is she a model or not?" If she is not a model, that is a very dangerous person to marry.
A woman who is a model is a woman that people can look at and say they want to be like her.
*SIGN 5 | A WOMAN WHO CAN BE A WIFE IS MATURE*
There is a beautiful Scripture I like in the book of Ecclesiastes. The Bible says, "Woe unto you land whose king is a child". (Ecclesiastes 10:16)
Marriage is for those who are of age. It is important for a woman to be mature. You might ask me, "Pastor, what are you talking about?"
You know? Marriage is not for children. Marriage is not for babies. Though people can call one another babe, but marriage is not for babes.Marriage requires maturity. And we see maturity in Ruth.
If you are not mature, you are not ready to be a wife. If you are not mature, you are not ready even to be married. Because marriage requires maturity.
We see maturity in Ruth by how selfless she was. When she was eating, she was thinking of her mother-in-law. When she went back home to meet her, she brought to her what she kept. That is maturity.
It is very much proven that children are selfish. That is why you cannot expect any immature woman to be selfless.
And Ruth is an example of selflessness. When her mother-in-law was going back to Bethlehem, she told her, "No. You know what? I am going with you. You can't go this long journey alone. Let us go with you". Even Boaz is repeating exactly what she did to her mother-in-law.
He said to her in Ruth 2:11, "It hath fully been shewed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore".
And he adds in Ruth 2:12, "The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust".
You see? Yes. She displayed maturity. And see how she is being recompensed and rewarded by marrying Boaz.
I just want to draw your attention on the fact that Boaz was not a young man. According to some commentators he was 80 years plus. And all this while he was not married. I believe maybe he was married and maybe the wife died or something like that but there is nothing about any relationship before. Otherwise it could have been mentioned.
In the genealogy of Jesus, it is talked about Boaz as the father of Obed. So there is no mention of Boaz having children until this age. That is why I believe that is the kind of wife he needed. A wife who is mature.
Paul says something in first Corinthians chapter thirteen. He said when I was a child I was talking like a child. I was thinking like a child. I was behaving like a child.
1 Corinthians 13:11, "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things."
So to help understand that maturity can be known through through those three things : how somebody talks, how somebody thinks, how somebody behaves. Those three can tell you that this woman is mature.
Now listen to me. Marital problems are maturity problems. The problems encountered in marriage related to the immaturity of the partners. I pray for you to receive the grace of maturity in the name of Jesus Christ.
As I'm winding up, somebody might say, "Well pastor what you said sounds harsh, tough"
Please don't misunderstand me. The profile of the wife I am talking about today matches the profile of a husband I talked about yesterday. If you want to understand better what I'm teaching today, please refer to what I taught yesterday.
It takes a Boaz to have a Ruth. It takes a Ruth to have a Boaz. Praise be the living God. Made up mind. Meekness. Manners. Model. Maturity.
If you find a woman who has those five you can know that is a Ruth for you. We have many people who are in homes with rings on the finger, but are not wives.
Listen to me. It can shock you. To have a ring on the finger does not make you a wife. That is why Proverbs 18:22 says, "He who finds a wife finds a treasure".
It means, he who finds a woman who has those characteristics is a wife. If you find a woman who has the five things I have mentioned, that is a wife, which means in another word, treasure that woman you have found. And I pray that you will be that one who will be found by your Boaz in Jesus name.
CLOSING PRAYERS
Lord we come before you this day we lift our hand to you and we pray. Oh God almighty we need your grace in this time. We need your grace oh Lord. I lift my hand to you and I pray for a woman who is following me for a woman who is listening to this message for a woman who is ah ah connected to the change oh Lord.
Many marriages are collapsing destroyed because of knives.
Those women who are knives they are cutting eh their husband into pieces. They are cutting marriages in pity, destroying marriages and and so forth and so forth.
Lord we pray that you will release that anointing for a woman who is out there that she will be that wife who build. Yesterday we saw about Boaz.
Today we talk about ah ah Ruth Lord and anoint somebody to be that mother to be that wife anoint somebody today to be that wife anoint somebody today to be that wife I pray that pride will die in the name of Jesus I pray that pride will die in the name of Jesus!
I pray for a woman that's to be delivered from mannerlessness in the name of Jesus!
I pray for a woman oh God today in the name of Jesus Christ to be that woman of God who build her oh God almighty that is my prayer that's why I'm lifting my hand today and I pray for a woman who is maybe married but who does not understand she is not a wife Lord.
I pray that somebody will comply release the grace of meekness release the grace oh God of ah of of of in a woman to have a made up mind release that grace oh God in somebody today in the name of the father, the son and the holy spirit we have all pray and we all say amen and amen.
Glory be to God. I pray that God will bless you. I pray that God will do you good. May God visit you and show you his greatness in Jesus precious name. You'll be tomorrow by the grace of God and thank you very much for connecting today. Amen.
PASTOR TD KASUKU
No comments:
Post a Comment