Sermon Central
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You're In Good Hands Series
Contributed by Paul Decker on Apr 20, 2002 (message contributor)
Summary: We need God’s hand on our lives.
YOU’RE IN GOOD HANDS
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)