Tag Team Preaching 12-31-2025

Brother Jesse said, he hopes that, uh, the Lord will

grant him the desire of his heart. And that's that's

somewhat goes along with my message tonight.

And so I think.

All of us, howell brothers, agree with that that statement. There.

I certainly being raised in a pastor's home, you get that. Uh,

you see how people are. But anyways, I appreciate the

presence of the Lord. We feel here tonight. You can

be turning to Second Samuel, chapter number seven. I appreciate

my pastors so very much. I give him honor. I

hold him in in great honor. He uh, every every

time I preach that. That what I think when I

get in this moment is he makes it look easy.

He really does. He does it so scholarly. Second Samuel,

chapter number six will start in verse number one. Second Samuel,

chapter number seven. I'm sorry verse number one. And it

came to pass when the king sat in his house

and the Lord had given him rest round about from

all his enemies, that the king said, unto Nathan the prophet,

see now I dwell in a house of cedar. But

the ark of God dwelleth within curtains verse number three

and Nathan said to the king, go do all that

is in thy heart, for the Lord is with thee

flipping over. We're gonna go to Second Coronicles, chapter number six,

verse number one. Then said Solomon. The Lord had said

that he would dwell in thick darkness. But I have

built a house of habitation for thee and a place

for thy dwelling forever. If the Lord had helped me

just for a little while, I'd like to preach on

is God in the dark?

Is God in the dark?

If you would stretch hands towards heaven and asked the

Lord to help us. God, God send you any and

God give us scripture. God help us to say everything

that you would have us to say. God, Jesus will

give you the praise and the honor. And the church said, amen,

I want to read Second Samuel chapter number seven again,

verse number one. And it came to pass when the

king sat in his house and the Lord had given

him rest round about from all his enemies, that the

king said under Nathan the prophet, see now I dwell

in a house of cedar, but the Ark of God

dwell within curtains. And Nathan said, under the King, go

do all that is in thine heart. For the Lord

is with thee So God is given King David at

this time rest and peace and comfort from his enemies.

David is at a time he's at ease. He's the

King of Israel, He's an absolute We would be astonished,

I dare to say, if we saw what he lived in,

it would no doubt, it would not be second to

the White House, it would not be second second to

the King's Palace over in the UK, the United Kingdom.

David had it made at this time. But David had

it made because of God. It says God had given

him rest from his enemies, all his enemies. So King

David sitting back meditating on his bed at night, and

he realizes, what am I doing.

I'm sitting here in a house that man made, and I'm.

Sitting here in comfort and luxury, in a house made

of cedar, and the presence of God, the Ark of

God is dwelling in a makeshift place. It's dwelling behind curtains.

And so King David tells Nathan the prophet what's in

his heart and what he would like to do for God,

because he's living in a house of cedar and he

sees what the spirit of God is living in the

ark of the Covenant, and King David does not feel

right about his living conditions. Mind you, as I said,

he's in a nice place, and the House of God

is living in a man made thing just like he is.

How many of you believe we should care about the

House of God. I remember raised up, the House of

God was number one priority before our place. That always

made sure that the church's bills were paid before his was.

And David David come to that realization in his life

that he could have been being selfish. He had it,

made it and the thing in God's presence was living

in a man made, man made house. So the reason

David has what he has is because of the Lord.

And we're just like David. Everything we've got is because

of David. You say, no, I work for my house,

and I worked for my car, and we worked and

paid for the church.

I've been raised all my life.

But it's God that gave you the breath and the

able body to do that. David's success was because of God.

He only had a rest from his enemies because of God.

And and and we're so much like David in the

sense of we have to work. And David had wars,

and David was a great man, and we're like David.

But the part of David we got to make sure

we're like.

Is he had a heart to build a house for

the Lord. After all that God has done for us

and our families, do we have a desire to do

for God like others that we see? I want in

chapter First Coronicles twenty eight and twenty three, flipping over

to First Coronicles, chapter number twenty eight and verse number

two and three, and David the King stood up upon

his feet and said, hear me, my brethren and my people.

As for me, I had in my heart to build

a house of rest for the ark of the covenant

of the Lord, and for the footstool.

Let me restart that.

Then David King stood up on his feet and said,

hear me, my brethren and my people. As for me,

I had in my heart to build a house of

rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord.

And for the footstool of God.

And he and made me ready and made ready for

the building. David realized, many how many times in your life?

If you hurt every one of us, I have no

doubt has heard someone say I'm not worthy. David realized

the best that he would ever do and the best

thing that he could ever provide for God on this earth,

would be as good as a footstool David. David tries

his best to do something for God, but nevertheless he

knows the best thing he's gonna do is only worthy

of being.

The footstool of God.

And and when I read that, I immediately think that is

no more than a slap in the face to those

that say I'm unworthy. I don't deserve to serve God.

That's no Dah David and mayn David is saved up

for years, and he wanted to build something for God.

But he knew the best he could.

Do was build a place of rest for the ark

of the Covenant and the flict stool for God. David

don't care what those around him thinks. In verse number two,

he is the king and he stands up and he

tells the men that his number one heart's desire in

life is what is to do something for God. He

had already made Israel quite quite the a force. They

were at rest. God had gave him peace from all

their enemies. They had won a lot of their battles.

But then David's heart begins to Speaklujah, it's so important,

and that those around us know our heart. King David

did not care what others around him thought about his

heart and what he wanted to do for God, because

the one was in King David's heart. His son, his

son catches the vision that his daddy had. His son

decides to get the mind, and it matters so much

as as parents that we get the mind of God,

and we get our pastors back, and then we catch

behind the Bethel vision. Second Chronicles, chapter number six and

verse one. Then said Solomon, the Lord hath said that

he would dwell in thick darkness, But I have built

a house of habitation for thee and a place for

thy dwelling forever. Where did he get this idea?

It was from Dad. He got his idea, and David

laid all these star houses up.

And if it wasn't for his daddy, he would have

never even fault. He wouldn't have had the things, he

wouldn't have had the preparation to build a house for God.

The Lord.

He doesn't come to the conclusion, what nobody's gonna build

me a.

House the Lord has said that he would dwell in

thick darkness.

Did at some point God come to the realization the

Lord did, and said.

Nobody even has a desire before King David.

Maybe your family's never even had a desire to do

anything for Gay.

If it wasn't for my dad and mom, I was

must watching the meat breathing sleep Bethel.

It would take a miraculous miracle of God for the

house cast even thank him Ministry, all because of King

David's heart. His son caught the vision, and his son

caught the division that his daddy did to do something

for God. So his son Solomon decides to finish that

that his daddy started. And his daddy, as I said,

laid up and kept on and stored for years and

years and made preparation.

In studying. This is the part I felt the Lord

in the most.

If we're going to we have to make preparation for

our generation, our kids, because if we all made preparation

like David did, our kids will not experience the Bethel

that we do. One of my greatest fears is a

generation missing it and another generation not catching the vision,

and my kids and your babies not experiencing the bethel

and the anointing that.

I feel every service.

It's our obligation as doubts and moms to make sure

our kids have what they need to build upon. We

gotta teach them how to have a relationship with God.

We gotta teach them how to worship it and how

to get behind a preacher and the man of God's vision.

Solomon would have never had it in his heart, had doubt,

he not had a burden and a heart for God.

I hope to God and I know Ada can feel

the spirit of God in services because John the Baptist

got the Holy Ghost in his mother's womb. But I

hope to God that my kids can't feel the anointing

when they grow. God forbid when Papa's dead and gone,

that the beathel that He's worked so hard to established.

And to prepare for this generation and the wants to come.

I hope to God it's still here. Canlujah? Can God

live in your heart? Or is your heart thick darkness?

When I speak this entire message regarding David building a house,

You're not gonna build a house now, but your house

that God's wealth in now is your heart?

Does God say this verse number one. The Lord has.

Said in that he would dwell in thick darkness when

speaking of your heart. And if God's cleaned you up

and he's residing his side your heart, the last thing

he wants to do is to see it get darker

and darker until it's a thick darkness, until he has

to evacuate, because the Bible does say he will not

dwell in an unclean vessel. And later on in this story,

God could not use King David because he was a

man of war, and the Bible said he was a

man of war and shed blood held David back from

building last I checked no one's being a man of

war in here. No one shed blood, but that didn't

keep David's salvation back.

I still believe it all my heart.

King David made it in May of sett him back

and fulfilling the will of God in his heart's desire

because of his past, but that didn't hold his salvation back.

Hellylujah.

I just want to encourage each and every one of

us to to make sure that our heart is in

a thick dark place that God wouldn't be comfortable residing in. Helllujah,

is each and every one of our obligations as dads

and moms to show our kids what it's like to

get behind the Man of God, and that the chances

are of any of us seeing Bethel's future. Spiritually, what

I mean is having division of its slim to none.

So you gotta trust your Man of God and show

your kids what it's like to get behind.

A real man of God.

The only hope your kids God is you making preparation

in the land that God send you to. That way

when they're ready, and when God takes you home, they

have laid aside that you built for them to build upon.

I appreciate the Lord here tonight.

I want to get my pastors back one hundred percent

and build upon the foundation that He's building here.

I appreciate the Lord. Thank you you Man.

Lift your hands this evening and ask the Lord to

help us. We thank the Lord for that, don't you?

Oh God?

I thank you Lord, God, Thank you Lord, Thank you Lord.

Aymen.

I can look at I can look throughout the ages.

I can look throughout history and see where people needed

to hear message just like this, Amen. I can look

at churches across the United States of America and see

where it would have really profited some people, and some

young people, and some moms and dads to hear a

message just like this and apply it to our lives,

into our hearts.

Amen.

And now we look at them and we see and

we see the aftermath of that not happening.

Amen.

We see the aftermath of people not catching the vision

and and not laying up for others and not storing up. Amen. Amen,

I thank the Lord for this service. I appreciate the

Lord for what brother Philip said.

Amen. I appreciate that message. It was wonderful. Amen. I

believe that. Amen. I believe that that was truth. Amen.

I believe it was heaven sent. And I appreciate the

Lord for it. Amen. I thought here that tonight that

you know, Pastor is really an anointed preacher, and in

my personal opinion, he is the greatest preacher in this

modern age. He is the greatest preacher in this modern age.

I believe that he's I seriously doubt if any man

hears more from God and more direct from God than

any man and in this modern age.

Amen.

And he might be listening, he might not, And I

frankly don't mind if he is either way, because The

truth is the truth when he's listening or when he's not.

Amen.

You catch me out by the oak tree, and I'll

tell you the same thing because me and my brothers

talk about it all the time.

Amen. There.

And I'm not trying to pen roses on nobody unless

they deserve it.

Amen.

The Bible said give honor to where honor is due.

And I have a reason for why I'm saying this,

Dad is Pastor is a wonderful anointed, which makes a

difference the anointing.

Amen. He's a wonderful preacher.

My hand's down favorite, Amen, always has been and always

will be.

Amen.

I might be a little biased, but he is my

favorite and he always will be.

Amen.

And I'll tell you what. I don't know how Pastor

preaches so hard for so long. Amen.

The man will flat preach for an hour.

And I thought I wondered why he had two preachers Tonight,

I know we won't measure up.

To the first.

I thought maybe he thought if he put two of

us up here, we might measure up to the latter.

Amen. We might get close to an hour.

But I don't know, Amen, Amen, But I appreciate the

Lord tonight.

Amen, I just thought that that I had thought.

About that on the way home from work, and I said, man,

I just I just gotta I gotta share that.

Amen.

I don't want to take away from this service, but

I do greatly appreciate this, the opportunity to preach tonight

and all that the Lord has done for us.

Amen.

I appreciate this New Year's Eve service, Amen. And and

I do want us to realize that it's it's the

ending of a wonderful year.

Amen. It's the ending of a beautiful year. Amen.

If I'm not mistaken, Brother and sister Stare, this was

a big year for them, amen, right at the end.

But we squeeze it into twenty twenty five. Amen. I

thank the Lord for that. Amen.

Just wonderful God. I praise him for that. So twenty

twenty five has been a wonderful year.

Amen.

We can look, brother and Sister Shivers, It's been a

wonderful year.

Amen, Praise the Lord. It's just been good to see

God's hand. Amen.

I look across, I look across the Ohs here, and

I just see beautiful things that God has done in

twenty twenty five. And I don't want to fail to

give him thanks for it.

Amen.

I think this is a wonderful service to make sure

that we have offered to God many many thanks for

all the things that He's done.

Amen.

We're so thankful. I do miss our pastor. I want

to say that again as we're getting started tonight. I

do appreciate him so very much. He is a wonderful,

wonderful man of God who listens to the voice of God,

which makes a difference.

Amen.

It makes a difference in a man's life whenever he

will listen God, God speaks.

Amen. I believe that God speaks, but there's few that listen. Amen.

There's a different It's there's a different breed of men

that can listen to the voice of God, Amen, and

can relate what God says, like Moses, relate what God

said to the people.

Amen. And I just thank the Lord for that.

I want to say thank you for your giving, Amen,

for the offering this evening.

May God bless you.

Uh, thank you, thank you to my pastor for this

opportunity to preach. I do appreciate him and I love him.

We miss him. Turn with me this evening to the

Book of Ruth.

Amen. The Book of Ruth, the Fourth chapter. Amen, I

just want the Lord to help us tonight, don't you. Amen.

We're gonna read here in the Book of Ruth, the

fourth chapter, the last book, the last and final chapter

of the Book of Ruth.

Amen. We're gonna read here about eight verses. Amen.

So we're gonna have a little bit of reading here.

Verse number one is where we'll start. Then went Boas

up to the gate and sat him down there, And

behold the kinsmen of whom bo As spake came by,

unto whom he said, ho, such a one, turn aside,

sit down here. And he turned aside and sat down.

And he took ten men of the elders of the

city and said, sit ye down here, and they sat down,

and he sat unto the kinsmen, nao meat that has

come again out of the country of moab Selleth, a

parcel of land which was our brother alimelechs Now this

was not their their physical brother, I don't believe, But

first number four, and I thought to advertise thee saying

by it before the inhabitants and before the elders of

my people.

They were, no doubt in the family of a Liimelech. Amen.

They were definitely kinsmen. This is what the story says

verse number four again. And I thought to advertise THEE,

saying by it for the inhabitants and before the elders

of my people. If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it.

But if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me

that I may know, for there is none to redeem

it beside THEE, and I am after THEE. And he said,

I will redeem it. Then said bo As, what day

thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi. Thou

must buy it also of Ruth the moa bidaist, the

wife of the dead, to raise up the name of

the dead upon his inheritance. And the kinsman said, I

cannot redeem it for myself, lest i'm are mine own inheritance.

Redeem thou my right to thyself, for I cannot redeem it. Now,

this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning

redeeming and concerning changing for the for for to conform

all things. A man plucked off his shoe and gave

it to his neighbor, and this was a testimony in Israel.

Therefore the kinsman said it to bo As, buy it

for thee, so he drew off his shoe. Amen, would

you lift your hand to heaven here, Lord asked we

ask you to help you.

Lord, We asked you to help us in the name

of Jesus.

Lord, that you would help us tonight, God, that you

would look down upon us with mercy and with grace. Lord,

that you would give us, Lord God, a little bit

of space right here of grace, God, to minister the

word of God. Lord, but you anoint your word. God,

would you send manna from heaven tonight, Lord, help us

for just a few minutes, God, to deliver the burden

of our heart. God, we want to be sure to

give you the glory, all of the honor, and all

of the praise. And we do pray in the wonderful

name of Jesus. Amen and Amen.

You may be seated if you feel like it, tonight. Amen.

Our text here tonight has allowed us the opportunity to

listen in on a conversation between two kinsmen concerning concerning

a Moabitish woman named Ruth.

The Book of.

Ruth has been attributed to the pen of Samuel, Hezekiah,

and Ezra, and it was an It was originally the

benediction or the end, if you will, of the Book

of Judges.

Amen, so so.

I I uh and and and and for a For

as long as I can remember, I've always enjoyed reading

the Book of Ruth.

Hey, I'm just amazed.

I've preached out of the Book of Ruth a few

times and I've only been preaching for just a few

years now. I love the Book of Ruth. And every

time I read it, I feel like I see something new.

It's a short verse. I mean, it's a short book,

but every time I read it, I just feel like

God opens up a whole nother a whole nother alleyway

and a whole other way to look at something. And

God would just pull something out and He'll put it

on my heart. And and when you read the Book

of Ruth, you realize that it's a beautiful story of redemption.

It's a beautiful story, and it's a reminder that God

can work all things together for our good and we

can see how. And I'm not gonna go into the

story because I'm not started at the end of the

book for a reason, because that's where i want to

preach tonight.

Amen.

But you can remember all of the bad that befell

them a limelech and Maylon hilly on Naomi at the

beginning all of the bad things that had happened to

them because they had left where God where I believe

God wanted them.

Amen. I don't believe they were to ever leave. Amen.

I think I think that that Amblimelec made a bad mistake.

Amen.

And it's evident by the way Naomi and Ruth came back.

Amen.

Naomi said, the Lord's bitty with me. I left full,

Now I'm empty. So so going to Moab didn't help

Naomi's case at all. She left full, Amen, despite there

being a famine.

She left full. Now she's come home empty. Amen. But

we realize when we read.

The Book of Ruth that it's a beautiful story of

God's mercy and God's redemption and God working all things

together for our good.

Amen. There are many people.

As we read throughout the Book of Ruth, and as

we study the Book of Ruth, there's many people that

we become acquainted with, and we know we know all

of them by their name.

Amen.

We know most of them by their name. I should

say most notorious is Ruth herself.

Amen. The queen of the show.

Amen, she's she's she's just a beautiful young lady that

God has chosen.

And and we know very well about Ruth.

From the time we were small, we learned about Ruth,

and we've just always loved to hear about Ruth and

and how God used her and and we related to

our lives.

Amen.

How God took us when we were nothing, How God

took us when we were outcast and we were strangers,

and he brought us in and he grafted us into

the family of God. So we can relate to Ruth.

Amen.

So we realize that that God used this to let

us know that there is hope for even us.

Amen, There's hope for even all of mankind. Amen.

Also we learn and we read about Ruth's husband, Maylan.

We read about his brother Chilean, and we read about

their father and their mother Alimelach and Naomi.

Amen.

And we also read about the wife of chile On,

whose name was Orpah.

Amen. There's a few, there's a few.

There's a handful of characters that are really just the

meat of this of this book. And if you remember them, names,

them names stick with you because we've heard it. Our

whole life. We've heard about Ruth, and we've heard about Naomi,

and we've heard about Alimaalac and we've and we've heard

about these these boys that died in a foreign land,

and these this man, this father that went away and

never made it back home. Amen, we know this story

so well, and we realize that where we are at,

where we're close to tonight in our text, we're very

close to the time when Naomi and Ruth have came home.

They have left moe Abb and they've came home to Bethlehem,

and they're virtually they have virtually nothing going their way.

Everything that was going their way is now completely out

the window. Everything that looked right when they left is

all upside down now. And they come home to Bethlehem

and they've got absolutely nothing to show for what they

left with.

Amen.

They their lives as they knew it are in pieces.

Naomi is just a fragment of the woman that she was.

When she left. Amen.

The majority of her family is no more. They're not

with her no more. And now she's just one woman

and one daughter in law that suck by her son.

Amen.

Now she's just a little piece of what she was.

Her life is in shambles. Her life is no more.

She's got very little of what you say to be

when she's come home to Bethlehem.

Amen.

Naomi and Ruth have nothing to offer anyone at this point.

Amen. They're just two poor widows that have nothing to do. Amen.

They don't know what to do, they don't really know

where to go. And they've come home and they have

nothing to offer anyone.

Amen.

Everything that they had, they have lost, everything that they was.

They are not no more. Naomi is no longer a mother.

Nat On Me is no longer a wife. She's just

a mother in law to a woman that is a

foreigner and a widow herself.

Amen.

I want to get somewhere tonight. I want to I

want to get where God wants us to go.

Amen. Amen.

Naomi and Ruth have nothing to offer for at this point.

They are nothing but poor widows. That's what they are.

That's that's what they do. And Ruth on Papa, that

is a fore. She's a stranger in this land. She

don't know nobody. She don't know the customs of this land.

She don't know how everything works. She don't know how

everybody does things and the way that they go about

their lives.

She's completely new. She's a foreigner, and she knows.

Nothing about Bethlehem except what Naomi has told her.

Amen.

Now Ruth is a foreigner and a stranger who is

forced to find her food in the fields with the

other beggars. Amen, she's forced to find her food in

the field with the other gleaners. And as you go

back in the book of Deuteronomy, you can learn and

you can read, and we're not gonna get into all

of it tonight, of what the gleaners were and what

they would do, and how that the harvesters were a

commission to leave handfuls, just a little bit here and there,

so that the poor of the city and the poor

of the land could come and they could just get

a little bit to eat, and they could just get

a little bit to survive. And Ruth has now found

herself in this case. This is now where Ruth finds herself.

She's just a poor stranger of a widow that's walking

around in a field, just trying to find a little handful,

just trying to find a little something to carry her

hold until the next day. Hey man, that is the

state that Ruth and Naomi has came home in Naomi

is probably far too old to work at this point,

and she depends on Ruth.

She depends on Ruth going out.

Into the fields and gleaning and getting what she can

and bringing it home just so they can make it

to the next day. Ruth, no doubt, lived on meager fare,

with no wealth or riches to her name. She was

simply a poor widow. If Ruth had something to offer,

she would have went down to the market and would

have bought. If she needed food, if she was hungry,

she would have went to the market and she would

have bought.

But she had nothing.

She she was forced to the field to glean for

her food. Something I realized as I read the Book

of Ruth, and and and and we're going somewhere tonight.

Just hang with me for just a little bit. And

I don't think I'll be too long tonight. But something

I realized when I read the Book of Ruth is

the Bible does not say Ruth is beautiful to look at.

The Bible does not say that she was.

A very fair countenance, or that she that she that

she was just a beautiful young lady. And you realize

the things that had happened in her life, would have

tooken a toil, a toil on her.

She had become a widow at a young age.

That would put a toil and that would put strain

in stress on someone she was forced to work in

the fields, she would so that would have took a

strain and a toil her body, and it would have

stressed her out. So I realized that Ruth didn't have

the beauty that Esther had when she won the heart

of a Hasseris.

Ruth very well was not as beautiful as Esther was.

There's a good chance that Ruth didn't have the pretty

fair skin on her hands that Esther had.

The dainty princess, the dainty queen. Amen.

You remember, whenever they persist shut all the women up

to come before Hasseris, they gave them all kinds of

stuff amen, to make them beautiful.

Ruth didn't have this.

Ruth had no way of really getting the heart of

bow ass.

Queen.

Esther was beautiful and she was fair, and that attributed

to Hasseris's love for her. Her beauty struck the heart

of this Hasceris. Ruth's beauty very well did not strike

the heart of bow Ass.

So what caused.

Boass to have such a love and such a desire

to help Ruth? What would cause Boass to go out

of his way.

And take on the responsibility of Ruth? What would cause that?

Because it probably wasn't her beauty or what she looked like,

and it sure wasn't what she had to offer. I've

spent the first few minutes of this tonight telling you

she didn't have nothing to offer. She didn't have riches,

she didn't have wealth, she had nothing to offer Bowas.

So what grabbed the heart of Boass?

What was it that reached out touched Bowass and grabbed

his heart and said, that woman right there. The Bible

tells us exactly what it was. The Bible says they're

in Ruth, chapter number three. You back up one chapter,

look at verse number eleven. I believe this is a very,

very big factor. And now, my daughter, fear not, I

would do to thee all that thou requirest for all

the city of my people. Dost know that thou art

a virtuous woman. I don't believe it was Ruth's beauty

that struck the heart of Baas. I don't believe it

was what Ruth brought to the table that struck the

heart of Baas.

But I believe it was her virtue.

I believe that, and you can read the whole few

verses there. I believe it's nine through thirteen where Boas

goes into detail that tells Ruth, I'm just really happy

with the way you've handled things, amen. He said, You're

not out chasing all the young men, whether poor or rich.

Amen.

You're out for what you can get out of it.

But you want what needs to be dying. You want

what's best, you want what basically what God wants.

Amen.

So I believe that this was what attracted bo Ass

to Ruth. I believe this was the thing that smote

the heart of Bowass and put a little soft spot

in there for Ruth.

I believe that Boass loved.

Ruth for who she was, not for anything she had

to offer, because at this point she was merely a

poor widow. The story here tonight, as we're going through it,

collides with our text at this time.

So now we find ourselves in chapter number four.

And bo Ass tells the woman that he will take

on the responsibility of.

The kinsman redeemer.

I would take on what the role of being that

redeemer that will take you for what you are, not

for what you have, or not for what you look at,

or not for what you offer me.

But I will take you for.

What you need, and I will be there kinsman redeemer

for you.

Amen.

But you we read there in our text, if you remember,

if we were paying attention as we read our text,

or if you just know the the story, there was

an obstacle that was standing in the way of bo

Ass and Ruth.

There was a man that was standing in the way.

Right in the middle of what Ruth wanted, right in

the middle of what God wanted, and right in the

middle of what bo Ass wanted.

There was one man that was standing in the way.

And bow Ass said, according to the law, according to

to what the what Moses wrote down, there must there

there's one that's nearer than me, and I cannot do

any thing until I hear what he says. He is

the decision maker. He would be the one to make

the final call before Boas can accept the row. There

is a man that must either accept or reject the opportunity.

So here tonight you realize in the text that bow

As has called for a meeting. And he's called ten

of the elders, and and and if you read a

commentary on this, and I did read one, I believe

it was Matthew Henrys. He said that that for bo

Ass to be able to just call a city meeting

or a gathering like that, he was obviously a judge

or a ruler, or or somebody that was high ranking,

because basically, at the snap of his fingers, court is

in session.

Basically at the snap of his finger, Boas said, you, you, you, you.

All, ten of y'all, y'all come with me. We're gonna

meet right here at the city gate. And when this

kinsman of mine walks by, I'm gonna say, hey, you

turn aside. He said, Oh, such a one, I gotta

talk to you.

Come over here.

Now. I believe that this kinsman had heard of Naomi

and Ruth being back in Bethlehem. I believe that in

his head he had realized, you know, I'm a nearer

kinsman than bo As is. But maybe due to bow

As his position. He said, I'll just wait to see

what bo As does.

Amen.

But but bow Ass called for a town hall, if

you will, He called for a meeting everybody, everybody, you

tend and you you come here. We've got some business

to take care of, and we've got something to talk about.

Amen.

The Bible says, they assemble there by the city gate

and Ruth, chapter number four, verse number three and four.

You realize what, but what this story is about?

The guy? Uh.

He realizes here at this point what bo Ass has

called this for. And he realizes, there's an opportunity before me.

There's a chance before me. I've gotta i've gotta I've

got a choice to make. I've got I've got i've

got something that I've gotta choose between here. And bo

Ass begins to lay it out for him, and he

begins to tell him about this piece of land. He

tells this man about this piece of land, that that

Naomi has, that that that she must sell, or that

she must get rid of, or that she would look

for somebody to redeem this.

Piece of land.

He begins to tell the man about the opportunity before him,

and he starts with the land that must be redeemed.

And I was just amazed at how fast the God

threw up his hand. I will redeem it.

Count me in. That sounds great. A piece of land.

Oh, yeah, that's me. Yeah, I'm next in line. I'll

take that. Hey, hey, I want that land. That's what

I want. That's what I've been looking for. I believe

his mind was running one hundred miles an hour at

the benefit of the land that would have for his family.

He realized very quickly what this piece of land will

have much of a blessing it would be to his family,

and he very quickly says, I will redeem it. Boys,

you don't have to say no more. I'll take it.

I'll take the land.

I want it. I want the blessing, I want the benefit.

I want the land.

I want the prophet. Heymen, I want what what? What

is good? I want the land. But Boas had the

kicker right here in his pocket. Right about the time

that man thought he wanted the land. Boas says, Oh,

and by the way, if you get the land, you've

got to get the widow. If you want the blessing,

you've got to take the responsibility.

Amen.

If you want the good things, then you've got.

To put in the work.

If you want the good things that God has for you,

then you need.

To take the ruth.

If you want the land that comes with it, then

you must take the ruth. If you want God's blessing,

then you must put the work in. If you want

the holy ghost, I'm getting the hair of my message,

then you've got to put the prayer in. If you

off the blessing thought of your life, then you've got

to put the work in. Then you've got to put

the prayer in. Then you've got to take the responsibility.

As soon as ba ask says, don't forget about the widow,

don't forget about ruth. Oh, I can't do that. Oh

I'm out now, I'm out now. I don't want it.

I don't want the responsibility. I don't want the work.

You want to give me land, you want to make

it easy, then I'll take the easy. But I don't

want to deal with with Maylan's widow.

Amen.

He was quick to throw up his hand and say

I want the land. But he was just as quick

to throw up his hands and I don't want the work.

He was quick just say I want the land, but

he didn't want the ruth.

Amen.

I hope this makes sense, because it ain't a book.

I know that much. I was reading and I was

just and I read this, and I was utterly bewildered

at how fast he changed his story. I was just

blown away and I was shocked at how fast he

switches up on him. I want the land, but I

don't want the Ruth. He was very easy for the

man to accept the blessing. Now, let me tell you this,

Ruth was a blessing, but she was not perceived that

way because remember I told you how she came back.

She came back a poor widow begging in the fields

or gleaning in the fields, that's a nicer word. That's

all she was, was poor widow with nothing to offer.

So it was very easy for him to accept the

blessing and to accept the benefit.

But there there was when the choice.

Came up to the land, there was no choice. The

choice was made, the decision was made. There was a

responsibility that came with the blessing. And the title that

I feel like the Lord gave me for this message

is a responsibility named Ruth.

Amen. Yeah, there's blessing involved, but there's responsibility involved.

Amen, Brother Staring, I'm thinking right now about your situation.

There's a blessing. It's a wonderful blessing. It's a beautiful

piece of land. It's a beautiful inheritance that the Bible

said a wise man would lay up.

Amen.

But with that blessing comes work. And with that land,

old kinsman, comes ruth. And if you want the land,

and if you want the blessing, then you've got to

have the ruth. You can't have the blessing without the ruth.

You can't have the blessing without the responsibility. When this

man was confronted about the responsibility of ruth, he quickly

threw up his hands and withdrew his decision to redeem

the land.

It was that easy. He switched up that easy.

And I see far too many people that want the

blessing but they don't want to struggle. You remember Jacob

as he wrestled with the angel. He wanted a blessing,

but he was willing to pay the price. He was

willing to to stick with the rastle.

Amen. The old saying goes, the rastle is worth the hassle. Amen.

Jacob believed that, and and and bo As did too. Amen.

Bo As believed that what I'm getting out of this

deal is worth what I gotta go through to get it.

I realized that the Holy ghost is worth praying for it.

I realized that a relationship with God it's worth praying for.

I realized that the blessing it's worth responssibility. I know

this is different, but this is what the Lord gave me.

A lot of people they want the joy, but they

don't want to weep through the night. Bible said, weeping

man stur for a night joy coming in the morning.

So you've gotta endure the night weeping to have the joy.

Amen.

This man was completely unwilling to take ruth as long

as it was the land.

He was all right, and he was all in. But

I was amazed and how quickly he bailed.

Out when he heard about the responsibility that came with

the blessing. And I'm I'm gonna shut it down here.

I'm gonna shut it down here real soon, Amen, because

there's so much there's so much ground to cover, and

I don't have time to cover off the ground. You're

gonna have to read between the lines. I don't have

time to mention every scenario that fit fits in.

You have to take it and apply it to your life.

A lot of people are willing to take the land.

They're willing to take the blessing. But there's not many

boas in this world that we live in. There's not

many people that will step up to the responsibility. You

can apply this to ministry. There's a lot of people

that they walk the field white with harvest. They want

to be the one out there raking in the sheaves

and bringing in the souls.

But when it comes time.

For the responsibility, when the family is a nice cream

and you've got to go out, and you've got a

preacher you've gotta read, then you don't want the responsibility.

You just want the blessing. You just want the land.

You don't want the ruth. Hey man, we can look

at our day.

We can look we can bring this down to completely unspiritual,

I guess, and we can look at young men that

want to get married. We can look at young men

that want a good job. We can look at young

men that want to have a good life. But when

the responsibility hits, they're like that man. They're like that

kidsmen that throw up that I told you there's so

much here, I don't have time.

To preach it at home. But they're quick to.

Throw up their hands and say I don't want the

responsibility I just want the blessing. You can't have the

blessing without the responsibility.

You can't have the land without the roof.

What we need is some more bow Asses in this

world that will step up to the plate. They say,

I'll take the responsibility. I'll do what I need to do.

I'll can't where I need to get. I'll do what

I need to do so that I can be saved.

I'll sanctify myself so that I can receive the Holy Ghost.

I'll put in the work so that I can receive

the blessing. That's what we need. We don't need any

more people just saying I only want the blessing. We've

got enough people that you just want to take it

for easy, come, easy go. They just want to take

what they can get without it costing them anything, or

at least not too much. He's a spiritual aspect of

this and a physical aspect, and you take it and

you put it where it needs to be.

And I'll take it and I'll put it where it

needs to be.

Ruth was a lot more responsibility for bo Ass to

take on. It was another mouth that he was responsible

for if he was married, because in this time before

before the law had got before God, before Jesus came down,

Amen and changed the law, and all that was done.

He said, you'd be the the husband of one wife.

Amen.

Back in this day, is very likely that bo Ass

this might not have been his only wife.

Amen.

So if that's the case, then it's another wife for

Boas to take on. It's another mouse to feed, it's

another woman to make sure that they.

Have clothes and shoes on their feet.

It's a big responsibility for bo Haas, but he was

willing to take on what needed to be taken. He

wasn't just about the land for Boas. It wasn't just

about the blessing for Boass. He saw Ruth as a blessing.

And when you put a value on Ruth, when you

put a value on the work, then the work will

be worth it.

Just the work without the blessing.

Shut Ruth Bowass would have redeemed her if it was

only for Ruth, for the land, for the blessing, for

what Ruth means to me, for what my prayer life

means to me, for what my Bible ready means to me.

It's worth it.

My relationship with God is worth my relationship with God.

Bar the fact that when I come into his presence

he meets me. There.

Lord, please don't ever take your spirit from me. But

the prayer life. You have heard that saying the journey

is worth the journey. This sanctified life is worth it,

regardless of heaven or not.

Morality is worth it, regardless of heaven or not.

A sound mind is worth it. Amen, peace at night

is worth it. Pure heart and a pure conscience is

worth it. That alone is worth the fight. That alone

is worth Ruth. That alone is worth taking Ruth for

what she is. People want Jesus when they need him,

but they don't want to take the time throughout their week.

To care for Ruth. And y'all get the parable that

I'm putting down here.

They don't want to go throughout the week to make

sure that Ruth is fed, to make sure Ruth has

everything she needs. They don't want to take time throughout

the week to make sure that Ruth has everything she needs.

But I will tell you this, if you don't take

on the responsibility named Ruth, you'll never hold the blessing

named Obed. If you're just in it for the land,

if you're just in it for what you think it's

the blessing, You'll never realize the fools of the blessing

of God. Ruth brought o Bed into Boaz's life, and

I dare say, Ruth Boas said, I, regardless of anything else,

this right here is worth it.

All, This baby right here is worse.

There isponsibility for the joy that was set before him.

Jesus endured the cross.

It wasn't an easy road for Jesus, for the man

nature of Jesus to endure the cross, and I'm likinging

that to taking on the responsibility of Ruth. It wasn't

easy for the de mand nature of God to walk

down the Via dela Rosa with stripes on his back

and a crown of thorns on his head. But for

the joy that was set before him, for the blessing

that was said before him, for the children that was

set before him, for the children of God, for born

again believers, for the joy, for the old bed, he

endured the cross, for the old bed.

He endured the ruth.

He took on the responsibility of the shame and the

pain and the heartache.

And the broken heart.

For the joy that was set before him. Could just

stand this evening. I know it's different. I feel like

it's different. But I realized that blessings often.

Come with a cost, and they come with a price.

And if we're not willing to pay the price, and

if we're not willing to do what we need to

do and accept the responsibility, will ever receive the promise.

We'll never see the.

Beautiful baby, We'll never see what God really has playing

for us.

Amen, pray if you feel like it tonight. Aymen.

If this message didn't touch you, maybe spend some time.

Thanking God for what He's done this year.

Amen, spends some time thanking God that you now hold

a promise, that you now hold a blessing, Oh, that

you could never never