Covenant

             I Can't Make You Love Me If You Don't!

Ruth 4:3-8

3 And he said unto the kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab, selleth a parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech's:

4 And I thought to advertise thee, saying, Buy it before the inhabitants, and before the elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it: but if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know: for there is none to redeem it beside thee; and I am after thee. And he said, I will redeem it.

5 Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance.

6 And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: redeem thou my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem it.

7 Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing, for to confirm all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbour: and this was a testimony in Israel.

8 Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee. So he drew off his shoe.

 Ruth didn't want the other kinsman but he could redeem her! Yet he didn't want her he would have to marry her to redeem his inheritance and because of that he would rather give up his rights to Ruth. If he bought the land he would have to marry Ruth! Thats something he didn't want to do. So he took off his shoe and carried on in life to make sure that Boaz could redeem her! Think about God how he chases after the heart of the one he loves and that soul that will die and go to hell because they will never give the Lord their heart. God can't make you love him. In any relationship both parties have to want to be there. Hosea couldnt make Gomer love him, just like the father couldnt make the prodigal want to come home, and Ruth couldnt make the other kinsman love her. They had to want it for themselves. They had to want to act on it. They had to want to be there. They couldn't make them love them if they didn't!

           

                     Do You Love Me More Than These?

               John 21:15-17

15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

Jesus wanted to know if Peter loved more! We often tell people we love them but our actions don't line up to what we tell Christ. They had been fishing instead of spreading gospel about what Christ had done for them. They went back to old ways instead of sharing the Love of Christ. How often do we say we love someone and they ask us over and over again do you love them. You wonder why are they asking you that yes i love you. Yet your actions don't meet up with what you are say! You choose other things over them, porn, drinking, drugs, other men or woman, material things, money. Yet do you love them? If you had to choose what would you choose? You may say you would choose them but what do your actions say? The rich young ruler kept all the commandments yet still at the end of the day he didn't want to follow Jesus. How could he want to receive the kingdom of heaven and have all the things Jesus had to offer him if he didn't follow him. We often say we love someone want the benefits of their love but don't want to do what it takes to love them back. All Jesus wanted to know is if you loved him more than his things? Yet he  choose things over Christ! Christ just wanted to know if he was enough.

                    

                        Will My Love Ever Be Enough?
                                       
                               Genesis 29:31-35

31 And when the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.

32 And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the Lordhath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me.

33 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the Lord hath heard I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon.

34 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi.

35 And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the Lord: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing.

Wow I actually went through this in my life. I'm not one to give up on people I believe that anyone can change their life or even change their mind.  I mean I know God never gives up. Yet in Leah's case God knew she would never be loved by the man she loved! So he gave her children! How do you live your life knowing the person you love will never love you the way you love them. She was willing to give him anything. She gave him tons of sons. Yet still it would never be good enough. When would it be enough. God gives people everything yet some people will never love him! The prodigals father gave him his inheritance yet it still wasn't enough. I always wondered in my life because peoples actions, will my love ever be good enough for someone? Will someone want to surrender their love to me just as I am willing to love them? God wants to know the same are you willing to give your love to him just as he is to you?John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.





                    Give me you, I belong to you, I Give myself to you!

sur·ren·der  

/səˈrendər/

Verb Cease resistance to an enemy or opponent and submit to their authority.

                          Luke 15:17-20

17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,

19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

There is a song called give me you where she cries out about how much she wants the Lord to give himself to her and she is willing to give herself away to him. That love to just be in love that everything else can wait but God comes first, that love comes first! Give me you!Sometimes you get to a point where your tired of running from love that you just surrender to it. The prodigal knew what he had to do. He knew his father loved him. He just had to surrender to know it. Can you just imagine the one you love so much finally coming to you and being able to love them the way you want to love them. With no walls no boundries but just love them. To embrace them. No it doesnt matter where you been just come home! I'm just glad your home so I can love you! We can share this moment together! To have them to acknowledge how much you really love them. For them to accept your love. Sometimes we have to roll away the stone of our heart and just give it to God! Give your love to your spouse, give your love your family member, give your love to your friend!Sometimes you just have to come home!








Give me you!