Email Preach Him with Dr. Jim

What A Difference A Child Makes

C:\JAMMc2009\Ruth4-2TAB.USE.wpdAugust 16, 2009

1.   A Child To Give A . . Namesake. 4:13

      13 So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife; and when he went in to her, the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son.  

A.  The Lord Gave The . . Conception. 4:13a

      13 So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife; and when he went in to her, the Lord gave her conception,...”

B.  The Lord Gave The . . Child. 4:13b

“. . . and she bore a son.”

Illustration. 

A minister’s wife gave birth to their son on the day J. F. Kennedy was assassinated. He went to look at his son at the viewing window and thought what a terrible time to bring a son into this world. He felt sorrow and a little depressed in the midst of his joy.

A man from behind placed his hand on this minister’s shoulder and said what a great day to bring a male child into this world that needs a great leader. The minister turned and saw a Rabi acquaintance of his.

He then thought why didn’t I think like that. We believe God gave us this son, and we believe he could be used of the Lord as a great leader. Forgive me Lord. Forgive me.

Application

A Child To Give A . . Namesake.

2.   A Child To Bless . . Naomi. 4:14-16

A.  A Blessing From The . . Lord. 4:14

14 Then the women said to Naomi, "Blessed be the

Lord, who has not left you this day without a close relative; and may his name be famous in Israel!

B.  A Blessing From The . . Lad. 4:15a

15 And may he be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age;

C.  A Blessing From The . . Lassie. 4:15b

“. . . for your daughter-in-law, who loves you, who is better to you than seven sons, has borne him."

D.  A Blessing From The . . Labor. 4:16

16 Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her

bosom, and became a nurse to him.

Illustration

At the 1995 Mayoral Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D. C., ten-year-old Ashley Danielle Oubre', delivered a memorable speech that brought the audience to its feet in two standing ovations. The brief but mind stirring text follows:

       Good morning, Mayor Barry, platform guests, ladies, and gentlemen. I appreciate this opportunity to speak to the leadership of the greatest city in the world on behalf of the children. I wondered what I would say to you when I was first asked if I would make a presentation. Being young limits the experience you have in most areas, but not as being a child. Jesus said, "Unless you become like a child you cannot enter the kingdom." When I think about my friends, who are

all young people like myself, many things come to mind.

       If you would like to be a child in God's kingdom, I will share some of what we think about and do. Children play together, have lots of fun, and sometimes fight, but the very next day we make up and play again. Wouldn't it be wonderful if mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, neighbors and our leaders would be more that way? It hurts us when we see you fighting and not making up.

When you tell us something, we believe it, and we don't ask many questions. We have faith and trust you until we grow up and find it's not really that way with adults. I think you tell us Bible stories because we are children. The Bible stories do us a lot of good, but you don't tell each other Bible stories. Are they only good for children? You teach us that when we have a problem, we should talk it out with others and with Jesus. You say we should pray about it and keep our hearts right for Jesus. You say that Jesus can solve all our problems, both big and small. But we

notice, when people get older and have problems, they are embarrassed to talk like that among themselves. We wonder if you really mean it, or is Jesus only for kids? I am still young enough to believe that Jesus knows how to solve my problems, the problems of the city, and of the world. I hope I never grow old enough to stop believing and that you all become like children in search of God's kingdom.

       Thank you very much for listening to me. God Bless you all! Excerpt from "Deliver Us From Evil" by Ravi Zacharias, Page 197-198.

Application          A Child To Bless . . Naomi.

3.   A Child Named By The . . Neighbor Women. 4:17

17 Also the neighbor women gave him a name,

saying, "There is a son born to Naomi." And they called his name Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David. 18 Now this is the genealogy of Perez: Perez begot Hezron; 19 Hezron begot Ram, and Ram begot Amminadab; 20 Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon; 21 Salmon begot Boaz, and Boaz begot Obed; 22 Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David. NKJV

Introduction

They gave the lad the name Obed. Everyone agreed with that name and it must have been a compliment to Obed Ruth, Naomi and the boy.

A.  Note The Neighbor’s . . Claim. 4:17a

17 Also the neighbor women gave him a name,

saying, "There is a son born to Naomi." . . .

B.  Note The Neighbor’s . . Call. 4:17b

“And they called his name Obed. . . .”

C.  Note The . . Conclusion. 4:17c

“. . . He is the father of Jesse, the father of David.

Illustration           What a tear jerker!

Like any good mother, when Karen found out that another baby was on the way, she did what she could to help her year old son Michael, prepare for a new sibling. They found out that the new baby was going to be a girl, and day after day, night after night, Michael sang to his little sister in Mommy's tummy.

He was building a bond of love with his little sister before he even met her. The pregnancy progressed normally for Karen, an active member of the Panther Creek United Methodist Church in Morristown, Tennessee. In time, the labor pains came.

Soon it was every five minutes, every three, every minute. But serious complications arose during delivery and Karen found herself in hours of labor. Would a C-section be required? Finally, after a long struggle, Michael's little sister was born. But she was in very serious condition. With a siren howling in the night, the ambulance rushed the infant to the neonatal intensive unit at St. Mary's Hospital, Knoxville, Tennessee.

The days inched by. The little girl got worse. The pediatric specialist regretfully had to tell the parents, “There is very little hope. Be prepared for the worst." Karen and her husband contacted a local cemetery about a burial plot. They had fixed up a special room in their home for the new baby -- but now they found themselves having to plan for a funeral.

Michael, however, kept begging his parents to let him see his sister. "I want to sing to her," he kept saying. Week two in intensive care looked as if a funeral would come before the week was over.

Michael kept nagging about singing to his sister, but kids are never allowed in the Intensive Care. Karen made up her mind, though. She would take Michael whether they liked it or not! If he didn't see his sister right then, he may never see her alive.

She dressed him in an oversized scrub suit and marched him into ICU. He looked like a walking laundry basket, but the head Nurse recognized him as a child and bellowed "Get that kid out of here now! NO children are allowed!" The mother rose up strong in Karen, and the usually mild-mannered lady glared steel-eyed right into the head nurse's face, her lips a firm line. "He is not leaving until he sings to his sister!"

Karen took Michael to his sister's bedside. He gazed at the tiny infant losing the battle to live. After a moment, he began to sing. In the pure hearted voice of a 3-year-old Michael sang:

"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are gray." Instantly the baby girl seemed to respond. Her pulse rate began to calm down and become steady. "Keep on singing, Michael," encouraged Karen with tears in her eyes. "You never know, dear, how much I love you. Please don't take my sunshine away."

As Michael sang to his sister, the baby's ragged, strained breathing became as smooth as a kitten's purr. "Keep on singing, sweetheart!!" "The other night, dear, as I lay sleeping, I dreamed I held you in my arms... "Michael's little sister began to relax as rest, healing rest, seemed to sweep over her.

"Keep on singing, Michael." Tears had now conquered the face of the bossy head nurse. Karen glowed. "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. Please don't take my sunshine away...."

The next, day ... the very next day ... the little girl was well enough to go home! "Women's Day Magazine" called it "The Miracle of a Brother's Song."  The medical staff just called it a miracle. Karen called it a miracle of God's love!

Never give up on the people you love. Love is so Incredibly powerful. Please send this to all the people that have touched your life In some way. To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may Be the world!

          What A Difference A Child Makes