Crestwood Church Blog

Ruth told Naomi everything Boaz had done for her, and she added, "He gave me these six scoops of barley and said, ‘Don’t go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’"
Ruth 3:17

The book of Ruth is a wonderful story of a Moabite woman who finds a family redeemer in a rich Israelite farmer named Boaz. It is a story which starts with death but ends with life. Slowly Ruth learns faith, grace and hope through the sovereignty of God, which leads her to long for more than she could ever dream of.

From gleaning (then a way of leaving barley behind during the harvest to provide for widows and foreigners) in Boaz's fields, she collects the barley stalks left over by the harvesters, but learns that she can receive much more by knowing Boaz for herself.

With the ever increasing generosity of Boaz in the barley fields, she realises that Boaz's gifts aren't enough. With the help of her mother-in-Law Naomi, she sets out to win over Boaz's heart - what she really wants.

The whole book contains beautiful illustrations of the Lord Jesus and his church, redeeming her back to himself. The question we have to ask ourselves is: are we chasing after our redeemer only to get the gifts that he delights to give us, or like Ruth, do we just want him? By wanting just Boaz, she ended up with far more than she imagined.

I pray that you may long for more and by longing just for Jesus you find all your satisfaction in him.

Labels: Bible, Jesus, Ruth

posted by Andi - Sunday, 25 February 2007, 22:34
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The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants; it grows into a tree, and birds come and make nests in its branches."
Matt 13:31-32 (NLT)

This week we're holding our holiday bible club. Don't underestimate the potential for the growth of the kingdom of God amongst our children. What starts small will eventually grow into something that is unstoppable. Who would ever have believed that the gospel would have been as successful as it is? (Other than the Lord Jesus that is!)

When we are planted and rooted into the things of God, we become an unstoppable force that always achieves the purpose it was intended for. The purpose is always so much bigger than our expectation. Let's pray for the kids of the next generation - that they will become children of God for this generation and help us in fulfilling the purpose God has already laid out for Crestwood Church.

Remember our faith should be like that of a little child: open, tender, real and to the point. Sow a seed today.

Labels: Bible, Children, Mission

posted by Andi - Sunday, 22 October 2006, 22:57
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Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep, but are really wolves that will tear you apart. You can detect them by the way they act, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit. Matt 7:15-16

Sadly we live in a world filled with counterfeits, whether it is things of a material nature or the more sinister; those that are out to copy the things of God.

Cults like the Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons are publicising their false truths and even so-called churches are doing and teaching things that are not honouring God's church or even God himself.

How can we stand against these and how can we discern whether they are for God or against him? There are two main ways.

1. To learn and understand God's Word so that it becomes a part of you.
2. To use God's Word to learn the kind of behaviour we should see from those that are his.

When we ourselves are in a close relationship with Jesus, these falsehoods will very quickly lead us to dissatisfaction or make us feel very uncomfortable. As God becomes alive in us through the person of the Holy Spirit, he unites with his Word to reveal his truth to us. Once the truth is known we can stand against these wolves with the authority of the Lord.

Labels: Bible, Discernment, Falsehoods

posted by Andi - Sunday, 17 September 2006, 22:32
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