God's provision often comes in unexpected ways. As we examine the life of Elisha, we will see the importance of God's provision through us. We are called to care for the least among us in tangible ways, and point them to the provision of God in Christ. This is how we magnify the glory of God.

Elisha is often overshadow by his predecessor and mentor Elijah. However, Elisha was fully committed to glorifying God with his life, and his life pointed to the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ. Looking at the life of Elisha can help us understand what it means to fully embrace God's call on our lives to glorify Him and enjoy Him forever.

Normally, loyalty is associated with the past. We think of being loyal to those who have gone before, and at best we associate loyalty with the present. We are loyal to our friends, our workplace, etc. However, the biblical understanding of loyalty involves both looking forward and looking back. This sermon explores the idea of loyalty in the context of faith, looking to the accomplishments of those who have gone before with a concern for those who are yet to come.

The apostle Paul shows us how both Christ's death and Christ's resurrection are made manifest in his life. He suffers but still lives with hope and is not driven to despair. Through his words we can learn how we can display the life of Christ through our suffering.

Pastor Allen concludes the book of Ruth in redemptive fashion. Keeping to his promise, Boaz settles the matter as Ruth's redeemer, through shrewd legal dealings and total sacrifice. In similar fashion, Jesus settles the matter of our redemption through the legal, sacrificial, substitutionary atonement on the cross. Our ultimate and final redemption has been purchased, announced and witnessed. Jesus' amazing love should remind the Christ follower that our suffering is never without victory.

Now having been blessed by a God who favors her, Ruth steps out in active faith as a response. When our faith is passive, we simply seek to avoid evil. However, Ruth demonstrates a faith that actively seeks to do what is right. How about you? Are you passively trying to avoid evil? Or are you actively pursuing what is right? Likewise, we must understand that Jesus is actively working on our behalf to set things right by way of the cross.

Chapter 2 concludes in start contrast to its opening. Ruth begins the day hoping for blessing and ends the day blessed beyond her imagination. Though God may not bless us circumstantially as we all would like, He has blessed us with everything that matters (Ephesians 1:3). In spite of what our circumstances may tell us, in Christ we are soaked to the bone with the blessings He has rained down on our lives.

Sometimes through pain and suffering it becomes very difficult to see the favor of God. However, if we're willing to examine ourselves and the things we think will bring us pleasure and peace, we will find that we're the problem. To see God's favor on us most clearly requires us to be fully satisfied in Him alone.

The first chapter of Ruth reminds us of God's sovereignty even in our suffering. William Cowper wrote:

". . .behind every frowning providence is a smiling face."

We trust that God is in control over each and every difficulty life can throw at us, as He works out all things for His glory and our greater joy. This is gloriously good news, in spite of how we feel sometimes, because it means all hard things are ultimately redeemed for His people.