Orpah Beholding and Reflecting an Unsurrendered Heart Weekly Memory Verse: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” Romans 12:1 Day One Let’s delve right in and explore Ruth chapter 1. Take special note as you read about Orpah’s choices and actions. 1. Summarize, in your own words, the story, setting, characters, and timeline of the chapter. ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ 2. Ruth 1:1 tells us it was the time when the judges ruled. What was the spiritual condition of people of the time? (See Judges 17:6; 21:25)
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OrpahBeholding and Reflecting
an Unsurrendered Heart
Weekly Memory Verse: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” Romans 12:1
Day One
Let’s delve right in and explore Ruth chapter 1. Take special note as you read about Orpah’s choices and actions.
1. Summarize, in your own words, the story, setting, characters, and timeline of the chapter. ________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Ruth 1:1 tells us it was the time when the judges ruled. What was the spiritual condition of people of the time? (See Judges 17:6; 21:25)________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. What is the key (life changing) choice that Orpah made in comparison to Ruth? (Look at Ruth 1:7, 14, 16-18). From the choices made, what appears to be the heart motivation of each of these women?________________________________________________________________________________________________
4. This is where the short story of Orpah’s life ends as Scripture doesn’t tell us more of her future. What we can glean from reading the rest of Ruth is that Orpah made a choice (at least at this time in her life) not to follow the God of Naomi, the God of Israel. She entirely missed the future blessings of God! She chose to return to her old life, the familiar, pagan gods and selfishly pursue her own way, with little thought about the needs of Naomi and Ruth. In the end, she missed the ultimate blessing- an encounter with the lover of her soul, the Kinsman-Redeemer!
If you are a believer, you have already met the Kinsman-Redeemer! However, every day you continue to have the opportunity to make choices.
Will you be quick to surrender and obey, or will you strive with God, give in to fleshly temptations and fall to sin?
Consider the following verses regarding choices, sowing, and reaping.
1. Write out the verse or key phrases 2. Summarize, in your own words, what the Scripture says 3. Listen to the Lord personally speaking to you and make note of what He says
5. Why do you think putting off the old man and putting on the new is God’s best for you? ________________________________________________________________________________________________
6. Can you list a significant time in your life when you made a key decision to die to your flesh and put on Christ? What was the result of your choice and how did the Lord bless you and use it for His glory?___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
*If time allows, read the beautiful, redemption, love story in Ruth 2-4. This will give you a clearer understanding of what Orpah missed because of her ungodly choice.
1. It is clear from reading Ruth 2-4, that Orpah completely misses out on the redemptive story. Let’s briefly outline what she failed to experience because of her decision.
2. Do you think if Orpah made the choice to follow Naomi and Ruth, and ultimately the one true God, that the Lord would have written her somewhere in the pages of this blessed redemptive story? Explain your answer and back it up with Scripture.________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Ultimately, Orpah’s heart was one of a lack of surrender to Almighty God. Look up the definition of the word surrender and list some synonyms below.________________________________________________________________________________________________
5. Let’s have a heart checkup! Think about these questions.
a. What personally holds me back from surrendering my will to the Lord? Is it fear, worry, the senseof my lack of control, or something else?________________________________________________________________________________________________
c. Write out a prayer asking the Lord to help you have victory by surrendering.________________________________________________________________________________________________
d. Now write out a plan of action (purposeful choices for the next time you struggle to surrender and obey. Use Scripture to reinforce your choice.________________________________________________________________________________________________
As we studied yesterday, to live a life surrendered to God involves our choice to surrender: ALL our time, ALL our possessions, ALL our abilities, ALL our relationships, ALL of our plans…and the list continues.
But more than surrendering “things” or “situations” to God, He wants us to, above all, surrender ourselves! We are not our own, we have been bought with a price. ALL is God’s!
Our lack of surrender can often mean a lack of trust in the goodness of God’s character and the ever faithfulness of His promises. Let’s be encouraged by Scripture by looking at the unfailing character of God.
1. Search the follow verses and write out in your own words the attributes of God and his promises to you.
a. Jeremiah 33:3________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Reread the verses listed in question one. Is there one or two that particularly encourages you today? Write it here and commit it to memory so that when doubts creep in you can make a wise, godly, and reasonable choice to walk in obedience and trust in the One who loves you beyond measure!
“You can see God from anywhere if your mind is set to love and obey Him.” AW Tozer
Day Four
Weekly Memory Verse: Roman 12:1________________________________________________________________________________________________
Today we will specifically look at the character of Jesus, when He was here on Earth, and His perfect example of beautiful surrender.
“I have come down from heaven not to do my will, but to do the will of Him who sent Me.” John 6:381. In Luke chapter 4:1-13 we read of the encounter of Satan with Jesus. What was the underlying issue that Satan used to tempt Jesus?
2. List the areas Jesus did not surrender control to the enemy.________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Read Matthew 26:36-46. Write what you learn from Jesus’ prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. ________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Study Jesus’ heart as seen in John 13:1-5, and 12-17. What are some other character traits you see in Jesus?________________________________________________________________________________________________
4. What is Jesus’ instruction to His disciples and to you?________________________________________________________________________________________________
5. Read Matthew 27:45-56; Mark 15:33-47; Luke 23:44-46; John 19:28-37. How and whom did Jesus’ decisions effect?________________________________________________________________________________________________
6. For extra encouragement read Psalm 68:19. You may want to read it in several different Bible versions. Write out the phrase(s) that touch your heart the most. Give thanks to God!________________________________________________________________________________________________
Weekly Memory Verse: Romans 12:1. Can you say it by heart today?________________________________________________________________________________________________
What does being a women adorned with the heart of surrender look like in my life?
1. In the box below are listed fleshly character traits on the left side and on the opposite side are God’s solutions to overcoming them and living out a life of surrender. Read each Scripture and match the heart attitude with God’s answer.Stubbornly wanting my way 1 Thess 5:18
Lashing back in anger Proverbs 27:2Complaining 1 Cor 10:31Boasting about self James 1:19-20Having ungodly thoughts Prov.28:27Eating in excess Col 3:12-13Fearful about not having enough money 2 Cor 10:5
2. If you could sit down for lunch with Orpah today and share with her what God has taught you about surrender, what would you say to her?________________________________________________________________________________________________
As we finish this lesson, spend some time sitting at the feet of Jesus in sweet surrender.
“Lord send me anywhere, only go with me; lay any burden on me, only sustain me; and sever every tie, but the tie that binds me to Thy service and Thy heart.” David Livingstone
* If you would like to explore the topic of surrender more you may want to read, Surrender: The Heart God Controls, by Nancy Leigh DeMoss.