Truth For Life Program
Alistair Begg Devotional
C. H. Spurgeon Devotional
One-Year Bible Reading Plan
How can a once-vibrant church be restored after it’s dwindled? The solution is to do the basics well, most of the time. Find out what that means and what’s involved in “doing the basics” when you study along with Alistair Begg on Truth For Life.
From the Sermon
The Tapestry of God’s Providence
What often appears to us to be a mess of knots is just the back view of the tapestry God is weaving.
Naomi and Ruth had experienced their share of frayed threads in life. They arrived in Israel widowed and penniless—a perilous position for women in a lawless society (see Judges 21:25). In Old Testament Israelite society, the law allowed for the poor to enter the fields and pick up (glean) leftover grain as they followed the steps of the official harvesters. This law was established by God Himself and revealed His care and concern for the needy. But God’s law was not always—not often—observed in this period.
Yet when Ruth resolved to go into the fields, God worked through this law to tangibly provide for her and Naomi. Ruth’s seemingly mundane decision became an illustration of God’s providential plan for the two women—and for all of redemptive history!
Ruth ended up gleaning on the land of Boaz, a distant relative of Naomi’s deceased husband and a man of means and high standing. Ancient Israelites understood the family to be the basic unit of society, with members of the wider family having obligations to support and protect relatives who were struggling like Naomi. All of this hints at God’s hand in providing generously for Ruth and Naomi, even in ways that seem unremarkable at first glance.
In fact, as we read Ruth’s story, we notice that many of its details unfold as if by accident. Ruth happened to decide to glean that day. Naomi happened to encourage it. Boaz happened to pick that time to harvest his field. Ruth happened to pick his field. But when we look at the story as a whole, we see that all of these happenings were the instruments of God’s providential care in unfolding His purpose of redemption. After all, out of Boaz and Ruth’s lineage would come King David and, eventually, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself—a greater provider and protector who also “came from Bethlehem.”
As God wove these threads into His beautiful story of provision, Ruth and Naomi surely would have thought they looked knotted, disconnected, and frayed at times. Satan often wants us to stay focused on such seemingly jumbled and discouraging circumstances, doubting God and His good provision. We so easily forget that what appears to be a mess is just the back view of the tapestry God is weaving. One day, though, when we get the chance to see His handiwork from the front, all of those strange and dark threads will prove to have been part of His glorious pattern. Today, remember that “coincidences” are no such thing, that uncertainties and difficulties are opportunities to trust in God, and that behind all of them He is working out His plans to prosper His people in faith and godliness, and to bring them home.
How is God calling me to think differently?
How is God reordering my heart’s affections — what I love?
What is God calling me to do as I go about my day today?
Ruth Meets Boaz
1Now Naomi had ta relative of her husband's, a worthy man of the clan of Elimelech, whose name was uBoaz. 2And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me go to the field and vglean among the ears of grain after him win whose sight I shall find favor.” And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.” 3So she set out and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers, and she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the clan of Elimelech. 4And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem. And he said to the reapers, x“The Lord be with you!” And they answered, “The Lord bless you.” 5Then Boaz said to his young man who was in charge of the reapers, “Whose young woman is this?” 6And the servant who was in charge of the reapers answered, “She is the young Moabite woman, ywho came back with Naomi from the country of Moab. 7She said, ‘Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves after the reapers.’ So she came, and she has continued from early morning until now, except for a short rest.”1
8Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Now, listen, my daughter, do not go to glean in another field or leave this one, but keep close to my young women. 9Let your eyes be on the field that they are reaping, and go after them. Have I not charged the young men not to touch you? And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink what the young men have drawn.” 10Then zshe fell on her face, bowing to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should atake notice of me, since I am a foreigner?” 11But Boaz answered her, b“All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told to me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before. 12cThe Lord repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!” 13Then she said, d“I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, for you have comforted me and spoken kindly to your servant, though I am not one of your servants.”
14And at mealtime Boaz said to her, “Come here and eat some bread and dip your morsel in the wine.” So she sat beside the reapers, and he passed to her roasted grain. And she ate until eshe was satisfied, and she had some left over. 15When she rose to glean, Boaz instructed his young men, saying, “Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not reproach her. 16And also pull out some from the bundles for her and leave it for her to glean, and do not rebuke her.”
17So she gleaned in the field until evening. Then she beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah2 of barley. 18And she took it up and went into the city. Her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. She also brought out and gave her what food she had left over fafter being satisfied. 19And her mother-in-law said to her, “Where did you glean today? And where have you worked? Blessed be the man gwho took notice of you.” So she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked and said, “The man's name with whom I worked today is Boaz.” 20And Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, h“May he be blessed by the Lord, whose kindness has not forsaken ithe living or the dead!” Naomi also said to her, “The man is a close relative of ours, one of jour redeemers.” 21And Ruth the Moabite said, “Besides, he said to me, ‘You shall keep close by my young men until they have finished all my harvest.’” 22And Naomi said to Ruth, her daughter-in-law, “It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his young women, lest in another field you be assaulted.” 23So she kept close to the young women of Boaz, gleaning until the end of the barley and wheat harvests. And she lived with her mother-in-law.
Devotional material is taken from the Truth For Life daily devotionals by Alistair Begg, published by The Good Book Company, thegoodbook.com. Used by Truth For Life with permission. Copyright © 2021, 2022, The Good Book Company.
Humbly Receive from Him
And he said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘I will make this dry streambed full of pools.’ For thus says the Lord, ‘You shall not see wind or rain, but that streambed shall be filled with water, so that you shall drink, you, your livestock, and your animals.’”
The armies of the three kings were famishing and in need of water. God was about to send it, and in these words the prophet announced the coming blessing.
Here was a case of human helplessness: Not a drop of water could all the valiant men procure from the skies or find in the wells of earth. In similar fashion the people of the Lord are often at their wits' end—seeing their helplessness, and then learning where their help is to be found.
Notice that people were to prepare in faith to receive the divine blessing. They were to dig the trenches in which the water would be held. The church must learn by her efforts and prayers to make herself ready to be blessed; she must make the pools, and the Lord will fill them. This must be done in faith, in the full assurance that the blessing is about to descend. They were soon to discover a unique provision of the water they required. The shower did not pour from the clouds, as in Elijah's case; but in a silent and mysterious manner the pools were filled. The Lord has His own sovereign modes of action: He is not tied to process and time as we are but does as He pleases among the sons of men. Our part is to humbly receive from Him, and not to dictate to Him.
We must also notice the remarkable abundance of the supply—there was enough for the needs of all. And so it is in the gospel blessing. All the needs of the congregation and of the entire church will be met by divine power in answer to prayer; and above all this, victory shall be quickly given to the armies of the Lord.
What am I doing for Jesus? What trenches am I digging? O Lord, make me ready to receive the blessing that You are so willing to bestow.
Devotional material is taken from Morning and Evening, written by C. H. Spurgeon, revised and updated by Alistair Begg. Copyright © 2003, Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crossway.org. Used by Truth For Life with written permission.
Daily Bible Reading for May 16
Baal Worship at Peor
1While Israel lived in eShittim, fthe people began to whore with the daughters of Moab. 2gThese invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. 3So Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel. 4And the Lord said to Moses, h“Take all the chiefs of the people and ihang1 them in the sun before the Lord, jthat the fierce anger of the Lord may turn away from Israel.” 5And Moses said to kthe judges of Israel, l“Each of you kill those of his men who have yoked themselves to Baal of Peor.”
6And behold, one of the people of Israel came and brought a Midianite woman to his family, in the sight of Moses and in the sight of the whole congregation of the people of Israel, while they were mweeping in the entrance of the tent of meeting. 7nWhen Phinehas othe son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose and left the congregation and took a spear in his hand 8and went after the man of Israel into the chamber and pierced both of them, the man of Israel and the woman through her belly. Thus the plague on the people of Israel was stopped. 9Nevertheless, pthose who died by the plague were twenty-four thousand.
The Zeal of Phinehas
10And the Lord said to Moses, 11“Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, has turned back my wrath from the people of Israel, in that he qwas jealous with my jealousy among them, so that I did not consume the people of Israel in rmy jealousy. 12Therefore say, s‘Behold, I give to him my covenant of peace, 13and it shall be to him and to this descendants after him the covenant of ua perpetual priesthood, because he was jealous for his God and made atonement for the people of Israel.’”
14The name of the slain man of Israel, who was killed with the Midianite woman, was Zimri the son of Salu, chief of a father's house belonging to the Simeonites. 15And the name of the Midianite woman who was killed was Cozbi the daughter of vZur, who was the tribal head of a father's house in Midian.
16And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 17w“Harass the Midianites and strike them down, 18for they have harassed you with their xwiles, with which they beguiled you in the matter of yPeor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of the chief of Midian, their sister, who was killed on the day of the plague on account of Peor.”
God Shall Scatter His Enemies
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. A Song.
1eGod shall arise, his enemies shall be fscattered;
and those who hate him shall flee before him!
2As gsmoke is driven away, so you shall drive them away;
has wax melts before fire,
so the wicked shall perish before God!
3But ithe righteous shall be glad;
they shall exult before God;
they shall be jubilant with joy!
4Sing to God, jsing praises to his name;
klift up a song to him who lrides through mthe deserts;
his name is nthe Lord;
exult before him!
5oFather of the fatherless and pprotector of widows
is God in his holy habitation.
6God qsettles the solitary in a home;
he rleads out the prisoners to prosperity,
but sthe rebellious dwell in ta parched land.
7O God, when you uwent out before your people,
vwhen you marched through wthe wilderness, Selah
8xthe earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain,
before God, the One of Sinai,
before God,1 the God of Israel.
9yRain in abundance, O God, you shed abroad;
you restored your inheritance as it languished;
10your flock2 found a dwelling in it;
in your goodness, O God, you zprovided for the needy.
11The Lord gives athe word;
bthe women who announce the news are a great host:
12c“The kings of the armies—they flee, they flee!”
The women at home ddivide the spoil—
13though you men lie among ethe sheepfolds—
the wings of a dove covered with silver,
its pinions with shimmering gold.
14When the Almighty scatters kings there,
let snow fall on fZalmon.
15O mountain of God, mountain of Bashan;
O many-peaked3 mountain, mountain of Bashan!
16Why do you look with hatred, O many-peaked mountain,
at the mount that God gdesired for his abode,
yes, where the Lord will dwell forever?
17hThe chariots of God are twice ten thousand,
thousands upon thousands;
the Lord is among them; Sinai is now in the sanctuary.
18iYou ascended on high,
jleading a host of captives in your train
and kreceiving gifts among men,
even among lthe rebellious, mthat the Lord God may dwell there.
19Blessed be the Lord,
who daily nbears us up;
God is our salvation. Selah
20Our God is a God of salvation,
oand to God, the Lord, belong deliverances from death.
21pBut God will strike the heads of his enemies,
the hairy crown of him who walks in his guilty ways.
22The Lord said,
“I will bring them back qfrom Bashan,
rI will bring them back from the depths of the sea,
23that you may sstrike your feet in their blood,
that tthe tongues of your dogs may have their portion from the foe.”
24Your procession is4 seen, O God,
the procession of my God, my King, into the sanctuary—
25uthe singers in front, vthe musicians last,
between them wvirgins playing tambourines:
26x“Bless God in the great congregation,
the Lord, O you5 who are of yIsrael's fountain!”
27There is zBenjamin, the least of them, in the lead,
the princes of Judah in their throng,
the princes of aZebulun, the princes of Naphtali.
the power, O God, by which you have worked for us.
29Because of your temple at Jerusalem
kings shall cbear gifts to you.
30Rebuke dthe beasts that dwell among the reeds,
the herd of ebulls with the calves of the peoples.
fTrample underfoot those who lust after tribute;
scatter the peoples who delight in war.7
31Nobles shall come from gEgypt;
hCush shall hasten to istretch out her hands to God.
32jO kingdoms of the earth, sing to God;
sing praises to the Lord, Selah
33to him kwho rides in lthe heavens, the ancient heavens;
behold, he msends out his voice, his mighty voice.
34nAscribe power to God,
whose majesty is over Israel,
and whose opower is in pthe skies.
35qAwesome is God from his8 rsanctuary;
the God of Israel—he is the one who gives spower and strength to his people.
Blessed be God!
An Oracle Concerning Moab
Because gAr of Moab is laid waste in a night,
Moab is undone;
because hKir of Moab is laid waste in a night,
Moab is undone.
2He has gone up to the temple,1 and to iDibon,
to the high places2 to weep;
Moab kwails.
On every head is lbaldness;
every beard is shorn;
3in the streets they wear sackcloth;
on the housetops and in the squares
everyone wails and melts in tears.
4mHeshbon and mElealeh cry out;
their voice is heard as far as nJahaz;
therefore the armed men of Moab cry aloud;
his soul trembles.
5My heart cries out for Moab;
her fugitives flee to Zoar,
to nEglath-shelishiyah.
For at the oascent of Luhith
they go up weeping;
on the road to oHoronaim
they raise a cry of destruction;
6the waters of pNimrim
are a desolation;
the grass is withered, the vegetation fails,
the greenery is no more.
7qTherefore the abundance they have gained
and what they have laid up
they carry away
over the Brook of the Willows.
8For a cry has gone
around the land of Moab;
her wailing reaches to Eglaim;
her wailing reaches to Beer-elim.
9For the waters of rDibon3 are full of blood;
for I will bring upon Dibon even more,
sa lion for those of Moab who escape,
for the remnant of the land.
Wives and Husbands
1Likewise, wives, kbe subject to your own husbands, so that leven if some do not obey the word, mthey may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, 2when they see your nrespectful and pure conduct. 3oDo not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— 4but let your adorning be pthe hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. 5For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, 6as Sarah obeyed Abraham, qcalling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and rdo not fear anything that is frightening.
7Likewise, shusbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker tvessel, since they are heirs with you1 of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.
Suffering for Righteousness' Sake
8Finally, all of you, uhave unity of mind, sympathy, vbrotherly love, wa tender heart, and xa humble mind. 9yDo not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, zbless, for ato this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. 10For
b“Whoever desires to love life
and see good days,
let him keep his tongue from evil
and his lips from speaking deceit;
11let him turn away from evil and do good;
let him seek peace and pursue it.
12For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
and his ears are open to their prayer.
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
13Now cwho is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 14dBut even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. eHave no fear of them, fnor be troubled, 15but gin your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, halways being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and irespect, 16jhaving a good conscience, so that, kwhen you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17For lit is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.
18For Christ also msuffered2 nonce for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, othat he might bring us to God, being put to death pin the flesh but made alive qin the spirit, 19in which3 he went and qproclaimed4 to the spirits in prison, 20because5 they formerly did not obey, rwhen God's patience waited in the days of Noah, swhile the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, teight persons, were brought safely through water. 21Baptism, which corresponds to this, unow saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but vas an appeal to God for a good conscience, wthrough the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22who has gone into heaven and xis at the right hand of God, ywith angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.
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