YOU’RE IN GOOD HANDS
I Chronicles 4:10
S: God’s Presence
Th: Prayer: A Passion for His Presence
Pr: WE NEED GOD’S HAND ON OUR LIVES.
?: How? How is it observed?
KW: Ways
TS: We will find in our study of the prayer of Jabez three ways to observe God’s hand on our lives.
The ____ way that we observe God’s hand is His…
I. NEARNESS
II. NAVIGATION
III. NURTURE
RMBC 20 January 02 AM
INTRODUCTION:
ILL It depends whose hands it is in
A baseball bat in my hands is worth $15.
A baseball bat in the hands of Barry Bonds is worth a home run record.
It depends whose hands it’s in.
A basketball in my hands is worth a few laughs.
A basketball in Shaquille O’Neal’s hands is worth millions.
It depends whose hands it’s in.
A golf club in my hands is useless.
A golf club in Tiger Woods’ hands and you have a Master’s Champion.
It depends whose hands it’s in.
So…
How good are your hands?
TRANSITION:
1. We have been studying the prayer of Jabez (I Chronicles 4:10).
It goes like this:
"Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!"
Last week, we discovered that…
1.1 Jabez did not want to live up to his name.
We discovered that his name meant “grief.”
Jabez did not want to be a pain.
He did not want to be known as one who caused sadness.
Instead, he wanted to be a part of something bigger.
1.2 Jabez desired God’s blessing.
So, he did something worthwhile.
He asked for God’s blessing.
But note that he did not ask for specific blessings.
He left the substance of the blessings up to the will of God.
When we think of blessings, we tend to think that they are material and financial in nature.
But I believe God’s blessings are so much more than that.
He is much more creative than that.
But I do want you to note this.
He desires to bless us.
He desires to give to us what He has designed for us.
We also noted that…
1.3 Jabez wanted to be more and do more for God.
So he prayed for enlarged territory.
He wanted expanded borders.
He wanted more opportunities.
But you know…
2. It is one thing to want to do more for God, it is another thing to be able to do it.
I venture this is what Jabez discovered.
Being blessed by God is great.
Wanting to do more is great.
But what comes with that is an understanding of our limitations.
Our strength is insufficient.
This is why I enjoy this quote by Phillips Brooks (found in your worship bulletin):
Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for power equal to your tasks.
I believe this…
God wants to grow the size of our faith to match the size of His destiny for us.
To do that…
3. WE NEED GOD’S HAND ON OUR LIVES.
And this is Jabez’ prayer.
He understood the necessity of God’s hand.
You see, when you start seeking the blessings of God, you have to remember that with them you have to seek God in the blessing.
You cannot want the blessing of God and not want God too.
They must go together.
God’s hand is available.
So…
4. We will find in our study of the prayer of Jabez three ways to observe God’s hand on our lives.
OUR STUDY:
I. The first way that we observe God’s hand is His NEARNESS.
If you are a parent, you have probably heard the words, “Don’t let go!”
Perhaps it was while your children were learning how to ride a bike.
Or perhaps it was walking along a ledge or being in the dark.
You heard the words, “Don’t let go!”
So, let me offer this similar advice…
1. When you know you have God near, don’t let go (Genesis 32:26)!
This is the lesson Jacob learned during that wrestling match.
He said…
“I will not let you go unless you bless me.”
He had God near, and he was not going to let go.
He had God’s hand.
It was finally on him.
He had God’s touch.
He was not going to let go.
He was not going to let go, because he finally realized that he needed God’s hand.
He was changed and he could no longer lead life as if he was in charge.
In the same exact way…
2. We are not sufficient in ourselves (II Corinthians 3:5).
Note what Paul says….
Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God… (NKJV)
If there is any sufficiency or ability on our part to expand borders, its cause is God’s nearness.
It is because God is present.
We are dependent on God.
We need His hand (His involvement) in every part of our lives.
I like how Peter Marshall Sr. (former Senate chaplain) put it many years ago:
If God does not enter your kitchen, there is something wrong with your kitchen. If you can’t take God into your recreation, there is something wrong with your play. We all believe in the God of the heroic. What we need most these days is the God of the humdrum, the commonplace, the everyday.
We need God in every aspect of our lives.
We are not sufficient, but insufficient.
We are not independent, but dependent.
So we need God’s hands…
For independence states, “Keep your hands off me!”
But dependence says, “Keep your hands on me!”
II. The second way that we observe God’s hand is His NAVIGATION.
ILL Notebook: Risk (Goliath)
An archaeologist was digging in the Negev Desert in Israel and came upon a casket containing a mummy. After examining it, he called the curator of a prestigious natural-history museum. "I’ve just discovered a 3,000 year-old mummy of a man who died of heart failure!" the excited scientist exclaimed. To which the curator replied, "Bring him in. We’ll check it out." A week later, the amazed curator called the archaeologist. "You were exactly right about the mummy’s age and cause of death. How in the world did you know?" "Easy. There was a piece of paper in his hand that said, ’10,000 Shekels on Goliath.’"
Well, there is no doubt that there are all kinds of risks in life, but for most of us…
1. We like things manageable with minimal risk.
As long as things are manageable and the fears and risks are minimal, we think we have things in hand and under control.
We like to say that this is our plan for our life.
We are content with our own borders.
But what Jabez discovered is that we are created for more!
Ask David!
I am sure that Goliath was not on his original plan.
But even as a young boy, under the direction of God, his borders were expanded to taking on a giant.
It is has been said that we ought to attempt something large enough that if God doesn’t show up, we will fail.
I think David was proof of that, don’t you?
You know, we need God’s hand because we need God’s direction.
I think that we men especially dislike the appearance of weakness.
This is why we don’t ask for directions.
We can find our own way.
And it is why don’t read instructions.
We can figure it out ourselves.
But…
2. We need the directions (Psalm 73:23-24)!
Not how the psalmist puts it…
Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.
God’s helping hand is readily available.
He will guide us.
He will instruct us.
He will direct us to the place of blessing.
He will show us to the place where the opportunity to be more and do more for Him exists.
III. The third way that we observe God’s hand is His NURTURE.
1. God surrounds us with His care (Psalm 31:1-5).
In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness. Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me. Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me. Free me from the trap that is set for me, for you are my refuge. Into your hands I commit my spirit; redeem me, O LORD, the God of truth.
Did you note the cover of our worship bulletin?
The protection of God’s hands is a place of refuge.
So, we can commit ourselves to God’s hands.
They surround us with His protection.
That protection is with us today, because…
2. God gives us His Spirit (Acts 11:21).
Note the report of the success of the early church…
The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.
I believe that a very real way to understand the hand of God today is His Spirit.
The early church saw the demonstration of God’s hand over and over again.
And it is a lesson that we need to apply.
The Holy Spirit works through us, to give us the power that we need for the here and now.
So we need to be dependent on the Spirit for…
3. We want God’s hand for us, not against us (I Samuel 12:15).
Note the warning…
But if you do not obey the LORD, and if you rebel against his commands, his hand will be against you, as it was against your fathers.
God’s hand can bring calamity.
It can bring heaviness and fury.
But it also can be a hand of mercy and encouragement.
And this is what He desires to do.
He does want to surround us and nurture us, and then set us free in His power to do what He desires and designed for us.
You see, we are not left to fend on our own.
We go in His power and in His name.
APPLICATION:
We need God’s hand on our lives.
So, let me offer some practical application to see it happen.
First…
1. Be realistic about your limitations!
This is our starting place.
When we are faced with our own powerlessness, we realize that we are not up to the task.
This is reality.
And if we are going to be more and do more for God, the knowledge of our limitations is an essential reality that we must understand.
Therefore, we must pray…
2. Pray: “Keep Your hands on me!” (II Chronicles 16:9a).
For when we pray, “Keep Your hands on me,” we demonstrate a heart that is submitted and committed to God.
Note this verse in II Chronicles…
For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.
When was the last time you got down on your knees, raised your hands and heart up to God, and pleaded for His power, His presence, and His hand to be found on your life?
How long has it been since you surrendered your life to Him and allowed Him to move through it and in it to the pleasure of His will?
This is true submission and commitment.
This is the desiring of God’s hands.
And realize this…God’s hands are good hands!
3. Realize: You’re in good hands!
ILL Promise
A restaurant put up a sign that said, “ALL YOU CAN EAT FOR $4.99.” A hungry man came in, paid his $4.99, and polished off a huge helping. Then he ordered more and finished that too. But when he put in his order for a third meal, the waitress turned him down. The man angrily called for the manager and pointed to the sign in the window, “It says, ‘ALL YOU CAN EAT FOR $4.99,’ and I can still eat more!” The manager stood his ground. “Yes, but I’m the guy who says that’s all you can eat for $4.99!”
You know, sometimes we think God is like that.
That He is good to His word, but only up to a point.
Yes, God wants to bless, but He only wants to bless a little bit.
Or we think that God’s plan for me is probably not important.
Or that God’s power is only rarely available.
And what we are doing is putting God in a box (that, by the way, He does not fit in).
Notice what God says in Jeremiah (32:27):
“I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?”
Nothing is too hard for God.
So, I encourage you today to…
4. Know God.
God is not in a box.
He is a God of power.
And His power is available, essential, and unlimited.
There is no box that holds Him!
Remember this:
A baseball bat in my hands is worth $15.
A baseball bat in the hands of Barry Bonds is worth a home run record.
It depends whose hands it’s in.
A basketball in my hands is worth a few laughs.
A basketball in Shaquille O’Neal’s hands is worth millions.
It depends whose hands it’s in.
A golf club in my hands is useless.
A golf club in Tiger Woods’ hands and you have a Master’s Champion.
It depends whose hands it’s in.
Two fish and five loaves of bread in my hands is a couple of fish sandwiches.
Two fish and five loaves of bread in the hands of Jesus will feed thousands.
It depends whose hands it’s in.
Nails in my hands with some wood will not produce anything significant—guaranteed.
Nails in the hands of Jesus with some wood bring salvation for the entire world.
It depends whose hands it’s in.
BENEDICTION: [Counselors are ]
Desire God’s hands…for they are hands that desire to bless you; they are hands that desire your good in all matters.
Depend on God’s hands…for they are hands that are determined to guide; they will direct us toward our ever expanding borders.
Delight in God’s hands…for there is no safer place to be than in God’s hands; and there is no more exciting place to be than in God’s hands.
Now may the God of peace equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
