Is the Bible Relevant to Today's Life?

Biblical Relevance?

The headlines read:

Terrorist Attacks Continue

Economy in Ruins

Many Losing Jobs and Homes - Moving to Find Work

People in Despair

Lack of Faith in God Evident

These are not headlines from your local newspaper. They are from (if there was one) “The Bethlehem Times” during the 12th century BC, during the time of the setting of the book of Ruth.

I recently heard someone on the Bible Broadcasting Network begin a series on the book of Ruth, (95.3 if you’re in the Knoxville, East Tennessee area or http://www.bbnradio.org/ ) and I realized, “You know, I’ve never really delved into the book of Ruth!”

I’ve studied and written about Esther, but not Ruth - and since I’ve started this study, I’ve been amazed at what I’ve found. You think prophecy describes today? You should read the opening chapter of Ruth.

You might title the book of Ruth, “How Difficult Times Affected One Family.”

I’m convinced that Elimelech (whose name means “God is my King”) really believed what his name signified. But, he was a “devout” man, caught in desperate times.

If you could ask him, he would tell you, “No, I didn’t want to move to Moab, but I had to provide for my family. Ya gotta do what you gotta do, you know…” And so he went…

Little did he know that he would never set foot back in his hometown again; nor would his sons…

I intend to write a more in-depth study on the book of Ruth, but my number one goal as a Bible teacher is to give you (what I call) “the ‘want-to’s”.

I want you to “want to” read this for yourself.

If you’ve never studied the book of Ruth - or it’s been a while - read it today. Watch how God’s Hand of providence directed this one family, during a time of national unease, to fulfill His Will.

The key for us is this: He’s done it before… He’ll do it again… Look for it!


Father, I lift up those reading my blog, or on my mailing list. The older I get, the more I realize that every… single… person… has areas of their lives that desperately need prayer. And so I ask, Lord, hear the cries of their hearts - those spoken cries, those unspoken cries, and those cries that don’t even have words to bring them to light.

You promised that Your Spirit would connect with our spirit and take our groans and utterances right to the Throne of Grace - and so we pray for that very thing.

Fill us with the assurance of Your Presence as we live in these increasingly difficult times. And lead us to make right decisions, based on Your Promises and Your Word, and not on what we “think” we need to do to provide for our families.

Help us Father, to remain steadfast and faithful, and to seek to know You better through Your precious Word.

In Jesus’ Name - Amen.