Joy In God Podcast

Justice flows from God's heart and character. Throughout the Old and New Testaments God seeks to make the object of his love whole. This is what motivates God in his judgments on sin and injustice on an individual and corporate level. Only as we despair of ourselves and cling to Jesus can we participate in his work of restoring lives, the church, and the world by the Spirit of the Lord. We, the church, are to live now in light of Jesus' restoration of all things.

Have you ever been the outcast? The person who was rejected by your family, excluded from your friend group, or divorced by your spouse? You are not alone. The Samaritans were an outcast people, and one Samaritan woman was even outcast by the outcasts. Unlike the other women who would make the daily walk to the well each morning before the blazing heat of the day, this woman went to the well alone at noon because she was rejected, dejected, and unwanted. Amazingly, the only person who sought her out for a relationship was Jesus Christ. Jews did not befriend Samaritans, men did not befriend women, and holy people did not befriend unholy people. Nonetheless, Jesus knew that she needed a healthy, holy, helpful relationship. Perhaps an abuse victim whose father was either dead or a deadbeat, this woman had been divorced five times and was living with a man who did not give her the honor of making any marital commitment to her. Perhaps Jesus would have been the first man in her life to give to her instead of take from her. This scene reveals a number of hope-filled promises: (1) Until our relationship with Jesus is healthy, none of our other relationships will be. (2) Just like our bodies need water, our souls need worship. (3) Worship is not just part of what we do, it’s always what we do. (4) Who or what we worship not only gets us into trouble, worship is what also gets us out of trouble. (5) Under every issue is a worship issue. (6) Jesus is prepared to cross any line to have relationship.

In just a few short weeks, classification of the coronavirus (COVID-19) escalated from outbreak, to epidemic, to global pandemic; and President Trump declared an official state of emergency for the United States and its citizens. And as anyone reading this knows, the impact of this kind of global crisis extends far beyond the sickness itself. There is not a person on this earth who hasn’t been impacted by the coronavirus, in one way or another, and right now, many people are anxious, on edge, and afraid. Some have even gone to the extreme, bunkering down and “panic purchasing” toilet paper, respiratory masks, and bottled water in preparation for the “end of the world.” Everyone will react to crisis and fear in different ways, but in trying and uncertain times like these, how should Christians respond? When the rest of the world is afraid and loses hope, how can Christians still bring the life and love of Jesus Christ to a sick and dying world? How do Christians not allow this season of quarantine waste away? Pastor Neb will be bringing a message from God’s Word addressing this very question!

We conclude our study of the Book of Ruth with one central goal in mind: a lasting legacy. We have been able to glean from the timeless lessons this story offers as we prepared our hearts to encounter the ultimate Redeemer. Moreover, an overview of what God has been teaching us through this book elevates our perception of work and gives us an awareness of God's desire to bless us through it so that we might bless others. Finally, we learn that Ruth and Boaz knew they were living for something greater than themselves. They were honoring an enduring promise, prepared to be the answers to their own prayers, and most importantly, leaving behind a lasting legacy.

In our study of the Book of Ruth, we are warned against bitterness, encouraged toward boldness, and reminded of God's generous provision. As Ruth executes Naomi's risky plan, we encounter a striking interaction between her and Boaz. They demonstrate how men and women ought to treat each other when pursuing a relationship; risking everything, facing great obstacles, and willing to lose, all for the sake of love.

This week's study explores the definition of the godly man and the godly woman. In the second chapter of the Book of Ruth, Boaz lavishes Ruth with the fruits of his field. In the same way, God lavishes His grace upon us through Jesus Christ. The biblical man not only reflects but manifests the beauty of the Gospel in everything that he does. The biblical woman recognizes grace and finds her identity with in it. Her beauty lies in her loyal and faithful heart. Together, they model the relationship between Christ and the church because their loving-kindness flows from their righteous standing with God rather than their outward appearances or possessions.

As we move into the second chapter of the Book of Ruth, we witness yet another beautiful illustration of the Gospel. The favor and kindness with which Boaz treats Ruth is parallel to the one God shows us through Christ Jesus. We also begin to see the superior standard the Bible sets for men and women. It calls us to be more than great--to be the embodiment and demonstration of God's everlasting love.

Suffering is part of the human experience; even as Christians, God does not exempt us from it, however, He does sustain us through it. Today's message gives us a review of the first chapter from the Book of Ruth and how, from the beginning, God's faithfulness is displayed in the lives of two women experiencing great loss and suffering. Their story encourages us to seek God's face and discern what He has to say as well as what He desires to do in us and through us when we find ourselves amidst troubles.

The cost of following Christ on earth is nothing compared to the promise of eternal life we have in Him. We witness Ruth as she counts the cost of going to Bethlehem with her mother-in-law. She decides to go despite all the hardships she might encounter. In the same way, Jesus calls us to count the cost of following Him; He requires the same radical trust, devotion, and surrender. Furthermore, we must apply this truth in all areas of our lives as confirmation of what we already know and what has been done for us. This process empties us so that God can fill us up with the perfection of His will and in doing so, demonstrate His unequivocal goodness.

God uses us for the revelation of his glory even when we are poor witnesses of his word, just as he does with Naomi. We begin to see a demonstration of true conversion when Ruth decides to return to Bethlehem despite her mother-in-law's instruction to remain in Moab. Her response displays an unwavering sense of loyalty, devotion, and determination--a response we ought to imitate in our walk with Christ.

As we continue to study the first chapter of the Book of Ruth, we learn that what seemed to be a sin to Naomi was a test of faithfulness to Ruth and Orpha, her widowed daughters-in-law. As God calls Naomi to return to Israel, and therefore, to Him, he demonstrates His providence by giving her an obedient and faithfull companion--Ruth.

We are taking the time to continue our conversation about why Christian men fail to commit. The answer isn't as obvious as some would suspect. In order to say anything that I thought was going to be helpful, I wanted to first take the last episode and devote it to the men. Today I'm taking this episode and devoting it to the women and their role in all of this. Lastly, of course I want to appeal to the gospel as both our foundation and motivation to be all that God called us to be in Christ.

We are taking the time between this episode and the next to address the question: Why do Christian men fear committing to marriage? The answer isn't as obvious as some would suspect. In order to saying anything that I thought was going to be helpful, I wanted to first talk about what this means for us men, secondly, what this means for women, and lastly, how the gospel helps men be all that God called them to be--even in commitment. 

According to the Talmud (Jewish tradition), the prophet Samuel wrote the book of Ruth. The text itself says nothing of the author, but whoever wrote it was a skilled storyteller. It has been called the most beautiful short story ever written. The final words of the book link Ruth with her great-grandson, David (Ruth 4:17–22), so we know it was written after his anointing. The genealogy at the end of the book shows David’s lineage through the days of the judges, acting as a support for his rightful kingship. Solomon is not mentioned, leading some to believe the book was written before David ascended the throne. The events of Ruth occurred sometime between 1160 BC and 1100 BC, during the latter period of the judges (Ruth 1:1). These were dark days, full of suffering brought about by the Israelites’ apostasy and immorality. Part of the judgments God brought upon His sinful people included famine and war. The book of Ruth opens with a report of famine, which drove Naomi’s family out of Bethlehem into neighboring Moab. Naomi eventually returned with Ruth because she heard “that the LORD had visited His people in giving them food” (1:6). Readers can identify this interlude as part of the cyclical pattern of sin, suffering, supplication, and salvation found in Judges. But this story stands as a ray of light, showing the power of the love between God and His faithful people. The author gave the reader a snapshot perspective—one family, in a small town, at the threshing floor—as opposed to the broader narratives found in Judges. Obedience in everyday life pleases God. When we reflect His character through our interactions with others, we bring glory to Him. Ruth’s sacrifice and hard work to provide for Naomi reflected God’s love. Boaz’s loyalty to his kinsman, Naomi’s husband, reflected God’s faithfulness. Naomi’s plan for Ruth’s future reflected selfless love. The book of Ruth showed the Israelites the blessings that obedience could bring. It showed them the loving, faithful nature of their God. This book demonstrates that God responds to His people’s cry. He practices what He preaches, so to speak. Watching Him provide for Naomi and Ruth, two widows with little prospects for a future, we learn that He cares for the outcasts of society just as He asks us to do (Jeremiah 22:16; James 1:27). The book of Ruth came along at a time of irresponsible living in Israel’s history and appropriately called the people back to a greater responsibility and faithfulness before God—even in difficult times. This call applies just as clearly to us today. We belong to a loving, faithful, and powerful God who has never failed to care and provide for His children. Like Ruth and Boaz, we are called to respond to that divine grace in faithful obedience, in spite of the godless culture in which we live. Are you willing?

We all have areas in our lives which we want to change. But change is hard. Many have tried to change but have experienced a continuing cycle of failure. The Bible teaches truths from the gospel by which we can experience significant changes in our lives. The change that we, as biblical Christians, seek is unique. Our goal is not merely to transform some aspect of our lives so that we will be happier or more comfortable. The goal of believers is that we would become more Christlike and that this change would be to the glory of God (Col. 1:28; 1 Tim. 4:5; 1 Cor. 10:31). God desires this kind of change among his people and is committed to seeing that it happens. This will be an approach to Christian growth that is neither quietistic nor moralistic. Pastor Neb offers a biblical and practical challenge to the very root causes of ungodly patterns of behavior. It is wonderful to be reminded that you and I are not stuck, and it's encouraging to know that you can be assured you will be guided by someone who knows well the road from where we are to where we need to be.

We all have areas in our lives which we want to change. But change is hard. Many have tried to change but have experienced a continuing cycle of failure. The Bible teaches truths from the gospel by which we can experience significant changes in our lives. The change that we, as biblical Christians, seek is unique. Our goal is not merely to transform some aspect of our lives so that we will be happier or more comfortable. The goal of believers is that we would become more Christlike and that this change would be to the glory of God (Col. 1:28; 1 Tim. 4:5; 1 Cor. 10:31). God desires this kind of change among his people and is committed to seeing that it happens. This will be an approach to Christian growth that is neither quietistic nor moralistic. Pastor Neb offers a biblical and practical challenge to the very root causes of ungodly patterns of behavior. It is wonderful to be reminded that you and I are not stuck, and it's encouraging to know that you can be assured you will be guided by someone who knows well the road from where we are to where we need to be.

Guilt. When everything else is quiet, it’s the disquietness within you saying, “I wish I had never done that.” “I wish I could go back and do that differently.” There’s no undo button in life, but we wish that our feelings of guilt could go away forever. And we need a better solution than just not talking about it, avoiding people and places that remind us of the guilt, suppressing our guilty feelings somehow, or busying ourselves to the point that we have no time to think guilt-ridden thoughts. [] Guilt is a universal experience. Everyone has sinned, and one of the results of sin is guilt. We can be thankful for guilty feelings because they drive us to seek forgiveness. The moment a person turns from sin to Jesus Christ in faith, his sin is forgiven. Repentance is part of the faith that leads to salvation (Matthew 3:2; 4:17; Acts 3:19). [] In Christ, even the most heinous sins are blotted out (see 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 for a list of some unrighteous acts that can be forgiven). Salvation is by grace, and grace forgives. After a person is saved, he will still sin, and when he does, God still promises forgiveness. “But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One” (1 John 2:1).

People in our society tend to deal with loneliness in different ways. Some try to ward off feelings of loneliness by making as many friends as possible, by keeping busy, by purchasing new things, or by revisiting the past. Others just give up on life and settle for living with what feels like a disease without a cure. But, as believers in Christ, we have hope! Scripture tells us very plainly that the thief's ultimate goal is to steal, kill, and destroy, but Christ came so that we may live life to the fullest (see John 10:10)...even in the depths of loneliness! A good example is the apostle Paul who, as a prisoner, faced execution in a Roman jail. Yet, we read in his letter to the Philippians that while he was lonely during this time in prison he realized that God gave him a way to live with victory despite his loneliness. He trusted God and praised Him in the midst of his pain. If you find the wave of loneliness is crashing down on you today, know that God understands...and He has provided practical steps to overcome loneliness through His Word.

Regardless as to how long a person has been a Christian or even how good their education has been, reading the Bible can be a challenge for some people. The Bible, with all its 66 books, contains a great variety of different writing styles, genres and perspectives. Similarly, different people may find different parts of the Bible to be harder to read than others. However, it would be easy to make excuses and never read the Bible at all, for fear of not understanding it. However, through practice and some helpful tips, which are below, you can read the Bible, understand it, and know that it applies to your life. The Bible is more than just a book or even a collection of Books; as Christians we believe that it is the Word of God. As a result of this, it is powerful and life changing.

I’ve had enough conversations with various people around the country to know that there is not a universal definition of “Christian.” I’ll never forget hearing that in some parts of the world, “Christian” means an arrogant, morally corrupt, manipulative westerner. In other places, it means someone who is generally a good person and goes to church a couple times a year. Others define it as someone who believes in Jesus, attends mass and confession, and accepts the Pope as the head of the church. Yet, others identify “Christian” with the coercive global power that invaded countries and subjected them to colonization and severe abuse, all in the name of Jesus. Which one of these, if any, is correct? Or are all of them true? And if all of them are true of people calling themselves Christians, does that mean Christianity, the Bible, and Jesus himself are like all those people? Or are the people and their various definitions of what it means to be Christian faulty? Is there a way to be a Christian, a Christ follower, that is different from all of the ways described above? In today's episode we're going to have an opportunity to explore that question.