All right, turn with me in your Bibles this morning to the Book of Ruth. And chapter 3. Book of Ruth in chapter 3. We're going to read verse 14 this morning. My Bible has a paragraph mark here, which would note that it is a new paragraph. However, I question that, for it's a continuation of thought. Verse 14, And she lay at his feet until the morning. And she rose up before one could know another. And he said, Let it not be known that a woman came into the floor. That which we've had here in the third chapter of the book of Ruth, and the instructions that Naomi, Ruth's mother-in-law, had given to her, were all in keeping with what God had commanded the children of Israel. as far as a deceased husband who had no children and providing for children to be raised up in his name. And that is a thought that we must keep in mind as we read and study the third chapter and the instructions that Nehemiah gave to Ruth to go into the threshing floor where Boaz, a near kinsman, was winnowing barley. And so we find her entering that threshing floor and after he had laid himself down for the night, her laying herself at his feet, which was obvious that that was the custom of one presenting herself to the kinsman-redeemer to fulfill his responsibility as kinsman-redeemer. God had provided that the family of the deceased husband would step up and take on that responsibility. But not always Did they do that as in the case of Judah and his sons with Tamar? She had the two older sons, but God slew them because of their evil and wicked hearts. And Judah had promised that if she would wait to give her his third son and she waited and he became of age when he should have taken her to wife and nothing happened. So she took matters into her own hands and which is what we have here. No one is stepping up to do the part and so Naomi instructs Ruth and what to do for that to happen. And as we have followed the story, Boaz the near kinsman proclaims the good testimony that Ruth had, not only with him but among the whole town. She had a good testimony. She had a good name. And we also noticed that Boaz, he himself, had an upright disposition, being honest in the matter and revealing that there was one who was narrower in kinsmen than he himself. But if that nearer kinsman would not do the part, rest assured, Ruth, I will do it." What a promise she had. She didn't have to be filled with anxiety or wonderment. Is there one going to step up? Is there one going to Take the responsibility and be honorable in the matter. So as we consider these thoughts, we see no signs of impropriety, no signs of evil. In any of that which is recorded here for us, In fact, we find Boaz giving instructions to Ruth of what to do. You don't need to run off now and return home, which would have been the obvious thing to do. Boy, as I said, he'd take care of the situation. He took responsibility. He's going to pursue the matter to the near kinsman, and if that near kinsman won't do it, he's going to take care of it. I'm going home to Nehemiah and to my home. But he said, no, that wouldn't be prudent for you to leave considering, remember, this is in the middle of the night. And for whatever reason, may have been because of thieves and robbers present that time of night. For they had thieves and robbers, the same as we have today. Although they don't seem to just single the night anymore. It used to be a thing that was prevalent at the night time. So as we come to verse 14 and read that she lay down and continued there the rest of the night at the end of his feet, not beside of him, but at his feet, and rising up early in the morning before one could know another. We see no signs of impropriety. We just see customs of the day and see her following Boaz's instructions. That's important. Her following Boaz's instructions. As we've come through the second chapter and into the third chapter, we've made reference several times. The example, the testimony, the good name of Ruth and how she portrayed a life of a Christian. Have we not? And she continues to portray that. She, all that she did in the second chapter was not for herself, but was for her mother-in-law, for her husband's family, for her mother-in-law, and for others. And she, in the second chapter, she even asks leave of her mother-in-law to go out and to glean. And who's ever feared that she might find grace? She meets Boaz, and he's taken with her, and he leaves her instructions. And she follows his instructions through the time of harvest. Then we come to the third chapter and her mother-in-law gives her instructions again concerning finding rest and going down and presenting herself to Boaz to be her kinsman redeemer. And she follows the instructions of her mother-in-law and does that. And now we have found that once again, Boaz is giving further instructions to Naomi. And she yields. She submits to those instructions. Boaz had taken responsibility. That was last week's message. He took responsibility. He had taken responsibility. I'm going to take matters into my hands. I'm going to pursue the one who has first right. And it gives her instructions of what to do. And Ruth yields to Boas. She submits. In fact, I present to you this morning as I look at this verse and I think upon those psalms that she is totally submitted. Is that not the conclusion that we're to come to as we have followed Ruth through these chapters? She's totally submitted. She yielded to the words of Boaz, the one who she trusted. Boaz had given her instructions in verse 13, "'Tay this night, and it shall be in the morning,' that he would pursue. He's not going to wait, he's going to do it in the morning, as soon as the night is past all through this study we found Ruth submitting yielding to others to her mother-in-law Naomi and to Boaz third chapter to Naomi and to Boaz She submits, think about this, she submits to the teaching and instruction of those learned in the ways of the Lord. She was immobilized. She had not been instructed in the ways of the Lord. But Naomi and Boaz had. And they knew the commandments of God. They knew the law of God. They knew the customs in the land. And so she submitted to those who were learned in the ways of the Lord. Well, that carries over into the church today, does it not? And the instructions that Paul gave to the churches, and to Titus, and to teach men that they in turn might teach others, and the aged women that they teach the younger women that they in turn might be good housewives, good mothers, and that they might, in turn, teach others. You see? And so that's the process that we have in the Lord's Church today. Those who are new converts, if you'll let me use that term, come into the church and they are to yield, they are to submit to those of us who are taught in the ways of the Lord as we teach them the ways of the Lord and then they are to yield and to submit to that teaching. Ruth is a picture of what all of us are to do, of what every believer is to do. We're all to be submitted. We're all to be totally submitted to God and to one another. If we're submitted to God, we'll be submitted to one another. Just plain and simple. We are to obey. We are to submit. We are to yield to the Lord Jesus Christ, to God. Turn with me to the book of 2 Chronicles. 2nd Chronicles in chapter 30. 2nd Chronicles 30 and verse 5. Hezekiah, during his days, issued a decree concerning the Passover. So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the Passover unto the Lord God of Israel at Jerusalem. For they had not done it of a long time, in such short as it was written." They had not done it for a long time. You see, that Passover was something they were to keep yearly. And it's that time yearly. But as wicked kings came into power, and idolatry became prevalent in the land, they left off things. And one of the things they left off was Passover. But now we have a righteous king. N'Ru has a car. So the post went with the letters from the king and his princess throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandments of the king, saying, Ye children of Israel, turn again unto the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and he will return to the remnant of you, that are escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria. And be not ye like unto your fathers, and like your brethren which trespassed against the Lord God of their fathers, who therefore gave them up to desolation, as ye see. Now be ye not stiff-necked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves unto the Lord, and enter into a sanctuary which he hath sanctified for ever, and serve the Lord your God, that the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from you. Yield yourselves to the Lord. Turn back to the Lord and yield to the Lord, submit to the Lord and to His ways. Turn with me to the book of Romans. Romans chapter 6 and verse 13. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin, but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God." Yield yourselves unto God. And in yielding yourselves unto God, you will not be yielding unto unrighteousness. James chapter 4, by the way, Romans 6, 13 is the verse that's in our bulletin today, but James chapter 4, verses 7 and 8 are the verses that were in last week's bulletin, which say, submit yourselves therefore to God. We're living in a day and time when that's a bad word. Nobody anywhere, Christians included, want to be submitted to anyone. Self-included. Submit yourselves, therefore, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners, and purify your hearts, ye double-minded, verse 10. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. You see, in submission to the Lord, there's a humbling of ourselves that takes place. You'll not be submitted to God if you don't humble yourself. We'll not be submitted to one another if we're not humble. You see, when we think more highly of ourselves, then we don't submit to God and we won't submit to one another. Now, we yield when we Resist the devil. Did you pick that up in verse 7? Submit yourselves therefore to God, resist the devil, and he'll flee from you. You see, as you submit to God, it's just automatic you're gonna resist the devil. If you don't resist the devil, you're not gonna be submitted to God. When we give in to Satan, then there's no submission to God. We resist the devil. Ephesians chapter four. Ephesians chapter four in, well, several weeks, maybe a couple months. We'll get there on Sunday afternoons. But Ephesians chapter four in verse 27, he said, neither give place to the devil. Don't give room for the devil. Don't give room for Satan. Don't harbor those bad, evil, wicked thoughts. Don't give place to the devil. Resist him and all his advances. Chapter 6 gives us a little insight in He's the one that we're really, actually our warfare is with. Chapter 6 and verse 11, it says, put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to resist the wiles of the devil. That you might be able to resist the cunning devices of Satan. Why? Because he's cunning, he's subtle, and we wrestle not against flesh and blood. We don't wrestle against men. Although it takes the appearance of wrestling against men, but we're wrestling against Satan and his devices, principalities and powers and evil and wicked places, you see. And that's Satan's working through them. Why is he working? He's working through them to thwart, to advance his own purpose and to throw down the purpose of God. From the beginning, it was so. Lucifer rose up, I will, I will, I will! And Genesis chapter 3 and verse 15 tells us there's good enmity between Satan, the seed of Satan, and the seed of woman, the Lord Jesus Christ. You see, so our wrestle, our fighting, our warring is not against flesh and blood, although it takes that manifestation as Satan is working his devices in men to overcome the will and power of God. So we're told in the book of 1 Peter, 1 Peter chapter 5 and verse 8 and 9, be sober. Be calm and collected in spirit, but be vigilant. Be on guard. Be watchful. Give strict attention to Satan. Because you're either saying, the devil is a roaring lion, walking about, seeking whom he may devour. That's why you need to be calm and collected, but you need to be on guard. You need to beware of his devices, whom resist, steadfast, resistant with all the strength and might that you have. Well where does our strength come from? You and your own physical strength are no match for Satan. In the book of Jude Even Michael the archangel does not bring a railing accusation. He relied upon the power of God in dealing with Satan. And you and I must rely upon the power of God in dealing with Satan. And where do we get that from? Right here, in the reading and the studying and submitting to His Word. as we've been so faithfully learning about in Sunday school. Our, so whom resist steadfast in the faith. Oh our faith needs, we can't be of weak faith. We need to be, our faith needs to be growing. It needs to be growing in grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. And that goes to our study on Sunday afternoon, and the prayer that Paul uttered for the Ephesian brethren, and not just for the Ephesian church, but for all the churches which were under his care and his concern. And that he carried the burden of Then we yield, we submit to God in worship and in service. Back in 2 Chronicles chapter 30 again in verse 8, remember when we read it, it said, Now be ye not stiff-necked. Don't be hardened against the Lord, don't be rebellious against the Lord, but yield yourselves unto the Lord and enter into His sanctuary. Listen, before we enter into His sanctuary, there has to be out there an emptying of self. Right? There has to be a submitting to God out there before we enter His sanctuary. But heal yourselves to God, and then enter in to His sanctuary. You see? Which He has sanctified forever. And serve the Lord. You see? You see the progressing? If in our worship there is a service that is being rendered to God, but there is no service being rendered to God without submission. There is no worship being rendered to God without submission. We must, out there, before we ever come in to the house of the Lord, we must be submitted to Him. Totally, 100%. Empty themself. Then we enter in to worship and to serve Him. We, service to Him demands submission to Him. Turn with me to the book of Deuteronomy. Deuteronomy in chapter 6, in verse 13. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name. You see, there's no service without fear. without reverence, without standing in awe, and the one who is truly standing in awe, the one who is truly in reverence to God, is submitted to God. And so then we graciously yield in service to Him. Verse 17, Ye shall diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God, and His testimonies, and His statutes, which He hath commanded thee. Look, if you're not submitted to God, you're not keeping His Word. I don't care what you say. And you don't care what I say. If I'm not submitted, then I'm not being obedient to His commands, to His Word. And you just think about that. When is it that we are not, do not obey the Word of God? When is it that we, listen, anytime Well, I don't really think that's what that says. I, I. Whenever you're saying I, you better step back and say, no, Lord, what do you say? What does the Lord say? That's what it means to be submitted to Him. Well, what does His Word say? Matthew chapter four. And if you know your Bible or you should be at least familiar with this fourth chapter of Matthew and verse 10. For it is when Satan came to tempt Jesus just in the same manner in which he tempts us. And look what the Lord said in verse 10. Then says Jesus unto him, unto Satan, Get thee hence, Satan, for it is written, You think Jesus, the Son of God, God manifested in the flesh, didn't even say, I think. No, he said, it is written. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only. Shalt thou serve. Our worship is to the Lord God. I can't do it full of self. You can't do it full of self. So there has to be an emptying of self out there. There has to be a humbling and a submitting to God. Long before we get to what we call the church house and enter in those doors. John chapter 12. Jesus speaking again in the 12th chapter of John in verse 26. He said, if any man serve me, let him follow me. How did you get that? If any man serve me, if any man will serve me, if any man serve me, Let Him follow me. Don't tell me that you're serving the Lord, but you're not following Him. What does it mean to follow the Lord? It means to react. It means to behave as He did in all situations. Right? if you're going to follow the Lord. When we display anger at a brother, can we say we're following the Lord? When we get offended at a brother or sister, can we say we're following the Lord? when we do something to deliberately put ourselves to the forefront. Can we say we're following the Lord? Jesus said, If any man serve me, let him follow me. And where I am, there shall also my servant be. If any man serve me, him will my father honor. Are you honored of the Lord? Are you honored of the Lord? Next, in our yielding there is, get this one, There is perception of the exceeding sinfulness of sin. Come with me to the book of Romans. In yielding, in submitting to God, there is perception of the exceeding sinfulness of sin. Romans chapter 10 and verse 3. For they, Israel, being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, which is sin. have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. Listen, in submitting ourselves unto the righteousness of God, there is a perception of the exceeding sinfulness of sin. That is, all of our works and all of our righteousnesses are as filthy rags, they're as despicable in the eyes of God. And not, well, brought out in our Sunday school lessons, not the thought, Well, you know, I'm just a sinner saved by grace. I'm not perfect yet. He's still working on me, and I'm glad He is. Amen? But in some way or shape, we kind of use that as an alibi for our sin. Well, you know, it was just a little sin. It wasn't that big a deal. Well, I'm not perfect yet. We use those. I'm serious. Lord, you know I'm a sinner. You see, it doesn't matter. When we have a perception of the exceeding sinfulness of sin, it doesn't matter, it's sin, I hate it, I want it gone from me, I want to do it no more! Right? When we really see it as God sees it, in the light of His righteousness, that's what we'll say about it. Instead of Making excuses for our imperfections. Look at what he said in the book of Isaiah, chapter 59, in verse 9. Isaiah 59, 9, he said, therefore is judgment far from us. What about us? Is judgment far from us? That is the judgment of God. That's what He's talking about. Righteous judgment. Neither doth justice overtake us. Is He speaking that about us? We wait for light But behold obscurity. You can just cross-reference that with 1 John chapter 1, can't you? For brightness, but we walk in darkness. Is that what the Lord says about us? Oh, I pray not. You see, they failed to see the righteousness of God. That was what Paul said in Romans chapter 10 verse 3. They failed to see the righteousness of God, and they went about to establish their own righteousnesses. I'm afraid that in many ways we do the same things. And then we yield. We yield as children yield to their father. In the book of Malachi, the book of Malachi chapter 1, in verse 6, said, A son honoreth his father, and a servant his master. That's what God said. That's what God said to Israel. A son honoreth his father. A son really places a lot of weight upon his father. He thinks a lot of his father. I mean, there were things I didn't like that my dad did. And I'm not going to do like my dad does when I get to it. But you know what? I did the exact same things my dad did. A lot of them. Yeah. But a son looks up to his father. And a son wants to be like his father. And a servant, a good servant, looks up to his master. Notice what he said. If then I be a father, if I be your father, where is mine honor? Is He speaking to us this morning? And if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the Lord of hosts unto you, O priest that despise my name. And ye say, wherein have we despised thy name? Why, Lord, look what we're doing. Don't we say that? Hebrews, well we know Hebrews 12 and 9. He said we looked up to our earthly fathers which chastised us and we gave them reverence. How much more? Our heavenly father. which chastiseth those whom he loves. And then, turn with me last of all to the book of Psalms in 81. Psalms 81, verses 8 through 13. Here, oh my people, there it is again, here, And that word literally means to listen and to obey. To listen and to obey. Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee. O Israel, if thou wilt hearken, listen and obey unto me. There shall no strange God be in thee, Neither shall thou worship any strange God. I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt. Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it. I want to tell you an illustration here. What he's talking about here is like a little bird in the nest. You ever watch the birds in the nest, the little birds in the nest? What do they do? They open their mouths wide open. wanting mama to fill it or daddy to fill it. That's the picture there in the Psalms. Tells us to open our mouth wide and he will fill it. But my people would not hearken to my voice, and Israel would none of me. So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust, and they walked in their own counsels. Oh, that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel and walked in my ways. Oh, that we would be totally submitted to the Lord. Just as Ruth exhibited in her manner of life, manifested in her manner of life, that she was totally submitted to the Lord. And her submission to the Lord was obvious in her submission Shall we stand and have a song in closing for the mic?