Handfuls Of Purpose

Naomi was married and had two sons. They were from Bethlehem and moved to Moab. There, in Moab, her husband died. Then her two sons married and they lived in Moab for ten years. Then her two sons died, leaving Naomi and her two daughters-in-law to fend for themselves.

Naomi told her two daughters-in-law to go back home and live with their mothers. The one daughter-in-law did, but the other one, Ruth, would not leave Naomi.

Ruth 1:16-17 NKJV16 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."

So Naomi and Ruth went back to Bethlehem to live. When they got there, it was harvest time. The barley was ripe and ready to harvest. Naomi had a very rich brother-in-law by the name of Boaz. Ruth asked Naomi if she could go to his field and glean the leftovers. In other words, pick up what they had left behind.When Boaz came out to the field and saw Ruth, he inquired about her and wanted to know who she was. They told him she was Naomi’s daughter-in-law and that she had asked permission to glean the leftovers, and she has worked from morning until night gleaning. Boaz was smitten with Ruth. He told her, “Don’t glean in anyone’s field but mine.” Then he invited her to dinner. He also left instructions for his servants.

Ruth 2:15-20

15 And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not:

16 And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not.

In other words, let grain fall purposely for her. Drop grain out of your basket “on purpose” for her to have.

17 So she gleaned in the field until even and beat out that she had gleaned: and it was about an ephah of barley. [An ephah is almost a bushel]

18 And she took it up, and went into the city: and her mother in law saw what she had gleaned: and she brought forth, and gave to her that she had reserved after she was sufficed. [Satisfied]

19 And her mother in law said unto her, Where hast thou gleaned today? and where wroughtest [worked] thou? blessed be he that did take knowledge of thee. And she shewed her mother in law with whom she had wrought, [worked] and said, The man's name with whom I wrought [worked] today is Boaz.

20 And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, Blessed be he of the LORD, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead...

Everyone loves a happy ending to a love story. Here it is; Boaz married Ruth. They had a son and named him Obed. Obed became the father of Jesse and of course, you know Jesse was the father of David. So, Ruth was David’s great-grandmother.

So, to all the unmarried today, don’t settle for the first thing that comes along. Guys, God has a Ruth for you. Ladies, God has a Boaz for you. God has hand-picked someone, just for you, ON PURPOSE! Stop looking on the outward appearance and begin looking at the heart. Do they love God? Beauty fades, but a kind heart that loves God lives on forever!

I want us to pay close attention to chapter 2 verses 15 and 16;

15 And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not:

16 And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not.

Handfuls on purpose. That means that Boaz did an act of kindness on purpose! How many times has our Heavenly Father given us “handfuls on propose?”

He blessed you on purpose. He intentionally, deliberately, consciously, and on purpose blessed you!

Have you ever had an unexpected blessing and wondered, “Wow! How did that happen?” It was like God “winked” at you. Don’t you love it when God winks at you? When He gives you that “unexpected blessing?” I enjoyed reading a book entitled, “When God Winks at You”. Recently God winked at me when...

• I won a car. (Favor)

• Escorted at the airport (Favor)

• Phil Donahue show

Matt 7:9-11

9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?

10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?

11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

Our Heavenly Father doesn’t have to give us gifts, but He wants too. He delights in giving good things to His children.

Ps 37:4-5

4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

God loves you and He wants the very best for you! And He will drop “Handfuls of blessings” on you, on purpose. He is not a mean God. He is a loving God and loves giving gifts to those who delight themselves in Him, who commit themselves to Him, and who trust in Him.

“For God so loved the world... on purpose!”

If you feel unworthy of God’s gifts, don’t worry, we are all unworthy. But Jesus made us worthy. If you’ve done things to block the blessings of God, today you can turn that around.

Jesus stands with arms outstretched to welcome you back to Him. It’s not hard, just ask His forgiveness and receive it. That simple.

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