by Don Ruhl

Read the Bible in a Year This morning read First Samuel 1--3

Cherish One Another

Elkanah has two wives. One is able to bear children, and she harasses Hannah, who is not able to have children. Hannah grieves, weeps, and fasts. Therefore, her husband says to her,

8 “Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? And why is your heart grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?” (1 Sam. 1:8).

This woman wants a son. We feel for her. Yet, she must cherish the relationship that she does have. Her husband feels the loss of her affection. She is so consumed over not having a son that she misses the relationship with the one whom her soul loves, her husband. She prays to God over this matter, and God allows her to conceive. Obviously, she and her husband were able to resume their relationship.

Concentrate on the relationship you have now, and see what God is able to make of it.

Don Ruhl Church of Christ 220 NE Savage Street Grants Pass, Oregon 97526-1310 541-476-3100

by Don Ruhl

Read the Bible in a Year This morning read the Book of Ruth

Now That Is Devotion!

Ruth is the daughter-in-law of Naomi. Ruth is a Moabitess and Naomi is an Israelite. Naomi, her husband, and two sons had gone to live in Moab, and while there, the two sons marry women of Moab. Then something horrible happens, all three men die. Shortly thereafter, Naomi seeks to return to her homeland, but her daughters-in-law do not want her to leave. However, Ruth wants to be with her mother-in-law, regardless of where she lives, but Naomi tells Ruth to stay with her people and her gods in her land. Ruth will have none of that.

16 But Ruth said: “Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God. 17 Where you die, I will die, And there will I be buried. The LORD do so to me, and more also, If anything but death parts you and me.”
(Rut. 1:16, 17).

Is that not something? Is not the heart that is behind it the heart that we ought to have toward fellow Christians, and especially toward Christ Jesus? While there are some specifics listed that may not apply to every person, but it is the point of being devoted to one another that matters. My wife and I used Ruth's words in our vows to one another.

How committed are you to your congregation and to the individual members of it?

Don Ruhl Church of Christ 220 NE Savage Street Grants Pass, Oregon 97526-1310 541-476-3100

by Don Ruhl

Read the Bible in a Year This evening read Luke 8:1--25

Providing for the Preacher

Luke lists some of the people who were following Jesus, including the twelve apostles, some women (Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Susanna), and then Luke says,

3 ...and many others who provided for Him from their substance (Luk. 8:3b).

Have you questioned how Jesus was able to spend all His time preaching and teaching? He still had to have the things that you and I have. He was able to do it because people supported Him with either their money or their things or both. I know that some people have a problem with this, especially when they see abuses, but it is nevertheless, a biblical practice.

Are you supporting your home congregation and the preacher there?

Don Ruhl Church of Christ 220 NE Savage Street Grants Pass, Oregon 97526-1310 541-476-3100

by Don Ruhl

Read the Bible in a Year This evening read Luke 7:1--30

Who Determines Our Worthiness?

A centurion's servant is terminally ill. Therefore, he sends elders of the Jews to Jesus that He might come and heal the servant. Here is partly what they explain to the Lord,

4 And when they came to Jesus, they begged Him earnestly, saying that the one for whom He should do this was worthy (Luk. 7:4).

Yet, interestingly, this is not what the Roman centurion says about himself. As Jesus approaches, the centurion sends out friends to meet Him and they speak for him, saying,

6 “Lord, do not trouble Yourself, for I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof. 7 Therefore I did not even think myself worthy to come to You. But say the word, and my servant will be healed" (Luk. 7:6, 7).

This all falls in perfectly with Proverbs 27:2,

2 Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; A stranger, and not your own lips. (Pro. 27:2).

Of course, the praise of men is not sufficient, but we seek the Lord's commendation.

Don Ruhl Church of Christ 220 NE Savage Street Grants Pass, Oregon 97526-1310 541-476-3100

by Don Ruhl

Read the Bible in a Year This morning read Judges 16--18

An Army of One

I am not sure what the United States Army means when it advertises itself as an army of one, because there are hundreds of thousands of soldiers, but with Samson, it is true. The Bible never shows him gathering an army together to fight the Philistines, but he always fights solo, able to kill hundreds or even thousands each time! The Bible also shows him with three different women. Therefore, we are tempted to think that all he does is chase women and fight the Philistines. However, we see his largest role in the last verse of his story. After killing a large number of Philistines by pushing down their temple, which also killed him, the biblical record says,

31 And his brothers and all his father’s household came down and took him, and brought him up and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the tomb of his father Manoah. He had judged Israel twenty years (Jdg. 16:31).

Does Samson do some things that make us question his spirituality? Yes, he does. Yet, he also judges Israel for two decades, and he is righteous when he does so. The Judges were holy men of God, but they were also sinners, like you and me. This is no license for us to sin, but it does show that God can use you with your faults, if you submit to him as Samson does.

Don Ruhl Church of Christ 220 NE Savage Street Grants Pass, Oregon 97526-1310 541-476-3100