Larry Kirkpatrick

A Positive Place on the Web for the Third Angel's Message

Lessons from Ruth, part 2

2013-07-13

Last Time

We continue the story of Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz. Last week we began at the first chapter. Elimelech and Naomi, with their two male children, leave parched Bethlehem because of the famine. They travel to Moab. The father dies, the two sons take Moab women for wives, but relatively soon, both young husbands also die. Now there are three dead husbands, three living widows. Word comes that the famine in Israel is over and Naomi departs for Israel. She pleads with her daughters-in-law Moabitesses Ruth and Orpah to leave her, return to Moab, and remarry. Orpah, after Naomi's repeated pleas, complies and returns to Moab. Ruth clings to Naomi, accepting Naomi's God as her God. She joins Israel! But the chapter ended on a bitter note. Naomi says call her name "Bitter' instead of "Pleasant." God has aligned Himself against her and is treating her unfairly. But Naomi has forgotten the blessing standing right beside her: Ruth.

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Lessons from Ruth, part 1

2013-07-06

One of the smallest books in the Bible is the story of Ruth the Moabitess. The book of Ruth is very short, and can be hard to find. It is the eighth book of the Bible. After the books of Moses, come Joshua, Judges, then Ruth. This short and sometimes neglected story has no obvious miracles, no mighty and divine interventions. And yet, it offers us a great deal, as we shall see.

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Two Flights

2013-06-09

We gather in the church on Sabbath but not to worship not some random idea, or fuzzy, amorphous, impersonal alien being. We gather to worship our Creator/Re-creator. The gospel of John says that in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. This "He" was in the beginning with God the Father. Who is "He?" He is Jesus. The Bible says that All things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made (John 1:1-3).

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Something that Matters

2013-06-01

5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, yet the world did not know Him.

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:5, 10, 14).

You may or may not have noticed, but there is a terrific lack of hope on every side. We look out into our world and we want to be hopeful for a better future. We are thinking of our kids, grandkids, and probably ourselves, too.

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2 Thessalonians, part 3

2013-04-27

Today, we are completing our three part exploration of Paul's Second to the Thessalonians. Chapter two was chock-full. Everything is important, of course, but today we are looking at chapter three. It is a bit simpler. It three breaks down into three portions. Verses 1-5 is Paul's confident plea that the Thessalonian church will be faithful. Verses 6-15 offer how the local church should address the problem of false teachers, busybodies, and distractors. Finally, verse 16-18 are the conclusion of Paul's letter and its authentication.

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2 Thessalonians, part 2

2013-04-20

Our study today is the second chapter of 2 Thessalonians. There are three sections for this chapter. The first five verses tell us about a Second Coming deception then current in the Thessalonian church, and also meaningful to us. Next, verses 6-12, deal with the restraining of the man of sin and with what we love. Finally, verses 13-17 urge to hold fast to the traditions that have been delivered to the Thessalonian believers by their church leaders. We will find helps and lessons and warning in all three sections.

Remember, both Thessalonian epistles especially have to do with issues surrounding the Second Coming of Jesus--issues false teachers were creating pushing their own ideas in contrast to what God's representatives had taught. The letter is sent to correct the strange fire. Let's look at the first part of this section.

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2 Thessalonians, part 1

2013-03-23

Them that Know Not God

Today, the first in a three part series covering the book of 2 Thessalonians.

Protestants long have understood the "man of sin" in this passage as indicating the power of the papacy or as being the pope of Rome. But now there is a new Pope, Francis I. Stories are appearing in the news outlets of his great humility, kindness, and solidarity with the poor. No doubt there is something in these stories. However, we shall be looking at what the Scriptures say in this book about the Second Coming of Jesus and what then shall happen to those who prefer to generate their own "good news," those who place themselves in the temple of God and proclaim themselves to be god (2 Thessalonians 2:4).

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