Review of Series Part 2

THE POWER OF RELATIONSHIPS

The life of believing is based on relationships- Pastor T. Ncanana

We see the power of relationships in the passage of scripture found in Ruth chapter 1. These three women demonstrate the power and levels of relationships. We see how obedience and loyalty in relationships are rewarded in the end. Looking at the relationship that Naomi and Ruth had, we see how Ruth positioned herself through the relationship she had with Naomi. By doing so she was rewarded for her faithfulness and obedience.

Naomi and Ruth had the type of relationship that can be described as an inner court relationship. Ruth clung to Naomi because she could see that Naomi was blessed. Naomi although she had gone to the Moab nation because she obeyed her husband, remembered where she began.

Naomi had suffered because of the decision that was taken by her husband Elimelech to go to Moab- a cursed nation. They left Bethlehem Judah, which was the house of bread, because of the season of famine it was in. This means that you can be in a blessed place/nation and not experience its provision and wealth. Many people want wealth but they do not want to know HOW they can make wealth.

Moab was a cursed nation, where people sacrificed their children to worship other gods and fathers slept with their own children. Naomi experience hardships and pain, she didn’t enjoy being in that nation. In the process she lost her husband, and two sons. Naomi blames God for her troubles. Naomi’s heart is at Bethlehem even though she was at the Moab nation. Naomi hears the news from back home in Bethlehem and she decides to go back. All things end in the beginning. Discover who you are in the beginning because your end is in the beginning.

 When Naomi realises that there is nothing that connects the relationship with her daughter in laws, she asks them to leave. This is where the relationship is tested. When a relationship reaches that point, you see who is really there for you at that time and who will abandon you. Every relationship is tested; anything not tested is not worthy to be trusted.

Orpah kisses her goodbye and leaves. This shows that it wasn’t a genuine relationship. Orpah only cries because this was her source of life. Orpah abandoned the relationship because of the circumstance they were in. They are people in relationships that are ready to leave when times are tough and things turn sour. Orpah chose to turn her back on Naomi and gave up on the relationship.

Ruth clung to Naomi and says “Where you lodge I will lodge”. This shows her commitment and dedication to Naomi, she knows that Naomi is not in a good situation but sticks by her. Ruth says whatever Naomi goes through she will be there, she sees that this is a temporary situation and that Naomi is blessed.

Many people leave relationships because of the situation the person is in, that’s when you see the type of relationship. Relationships are not about how much you can get, but about how much you can give.

Ruth gave up her life with the Moab’s for the relationship she had with Naomi that is sacrifice and commitment to a relationship. Naomi then takes Ruth to her family. This is why we need to have a revelation about the relationship that will take us to our destiny.

The steps of a righteous man are ordered by God. Ruth positioned herself, was faithful and obedient to the relationship she had with Naomi. When they get to Bethlehem Judah, they find Boaz, Naomi’s brother in law, now in charge of everything.

 Boaz is a wealthy man, all things work together for good, Ruth worked in Boaz’s garden and Naomi arranged for Ruth to sleep at the feet of Boaz. Ruth positioned herself to get her blessing. Ruth and Boaz got married and had a child; they started a new stream of a blessed generation. This is how Jesus came to earth, through the stream of Ruth’s generation.

As people we need to realise that the life we live is the life of association. We need to walk with people who are in the book of records, people that are destined for great things. Only a few elite can achieve this. We need to walk with people that will leave a legacy and lay the foundations so that their children’s children will not suffer.

There are people that are blessed, when they come into your life you should take grab them, not let them go, by associating with them, you will also be blessed. Then there are people who are cursed, once they come into your life there are curses that affect you and passed on to you. Therefore we need to see which relationships will take us to our destinies. We need to discern if we are associating with blessed or cursed people. We need to be faithful and loyal in blessed relationships, enduring during hard times, for the rewards in the end.

Associating with the right people will open many doors and blessing in your life. Investing and enduring in a blessed relationship will someday make you enjoy the fruits in that relationship. After a closer examination of the above scripture we see that relationships undergo seasons, trials and testing times, but it’s not the time to give up on the relationship because things are not working out at that time.

Situations are subject to change, if this is the relationship that will take you to your destiny you have to be committed and not abandon it under any circumstance. Like Ruth who says “where you lodge I will lodge”, we need to have that type of love and faithfulness in those type of relationships. We must know that there are things we will lose and have to sacrifice for that relationship. We must understand that relationships are about giving and someday you will reap the benefits of being in the relationship. 

THE POWER OF CHANGE

What does change mean?

Change, adjust, bend, transform, revolutionize

The greatest gift that God can offer you is to push you into crisis of temporary discomfort that requires you to fly your wings –Pastor T. Ncanana

Our mentality is exposed to certain things, and then we think we are better- , what does this mean? According to our knowledge and perception we think and weigh things in that level. Our frame of reference which is our attitudes, values, mindset, and teachings, our experiences, are what forms or shapes our opinions.

If we don’t develop or challenge our lives to go to another level, we will never grow. This means that most of us need to get out of our comfort zones, do something that will challenge you and will make you uncomfortable. As long as you are comfortable you are on the same level.

 Each person as we have been saying in the past sermons is designed to be dependant, interdependent and eventually become independent. Like a baby eagle that firsts, it starts by depending on its mother for food and nurturing, at some point the mother eagle, get tired of feeding them and realise that it’s time for them to fly and bring their own food. So it makes the environment uncomfortable by putting thorns in the nest. By doing this, the baby eagles become uncomfortable and they are pushed to fly.

The same with us people, change comes through discomfort in the environment that we are in.  Situations that we go through force us to change and do something we’ve never done. “To get what you’ve never had, we have to do what we’ve never done”. Potential doesn’t just ooze out; it has to be pushed out, by challenges and situations. In the middle of a situation one must decide that this is not who they are and where they are going. Change always brings famine and a shift in the environment/ atmosphere. This is a sign that change is coming.

This calls for knowing the level that you are in and doing something to change your situation. If you resist change, you will pay the price. If we don’t obey or hear God, we will always remain in the same level, but in order to get something, you have to do something.

We need to adjust to change so that we can walk in to the promises of God and our season. Allowing change will let you receive the things God has for your life. God will always tell you to do something that will make you uncomfortable. When you look at your situation, you will think you cannot do this and you’ll ask how but God sees that you can. God would not demand something of you that you cannot do.