“Commitment”


June 3, 2012

Kennard Friends Church

Bob Lines



Drop a dollar bill on the way to the sanctuary… Ask, what would you do if you saw money drop from the person ahead of you? Tell them? Pick it up and play the lottery? Place it in the offering at church? Give it to your favorite charity? Or look around to see whose watching, and then put it in your pocket? So what do you think Jesus would do? If that is what you would do, you have already made a commitment to follow Him. If you are not sure what you would do, your commitment may be “on the fence” or “lukewarm”.

You see, the stronger our commitment to be like Jesus, the more our decisions about how to handle situations, people, temptations, blessings, etc. are already decided upon.


Do you know the difference between commitment and involvement? A bacon and egg breakfast is a good example. The chicken was involved. The pig was committed.

What are you committed to? There are likely hundreds of examples.

• Marriage

• Children and grandchildren

• Job

• Care for someone else

• Hobby

• Facebook

• iPhone games

• Church

• Bible

• Christ

• Etc.

How can you tell the difference between commitment and involvement with these activities? It may be the time you spend, the money you spend, the magnetic-like pull, the reward, the joy, your dedication, your priorities, etc.

On Wednesday nights we are discussing what the Bible says about commitment by using a book by Kyle Idleman called Not a Fan. The book helps us to answer the question “Am I a fan of Jesus or am I a follower?” We ultimately want to be a follower. We want to be in a committed relationship with Jesus. That commitment is a journey that lasts a lifetime. Yet at certain points in our lives, our level of commitment comes to a crossroads. It is at these crossroads where we prove (to God and to ourselves) our level of commitment.

What are some of these crossroads?

• Seeing someone ahead of us drop money

• A very sick child without much hope of improvement

• A failed marriage… maybe for the second time

• Loss of our health

• A wayward son or daughter

• Loss of our job

• Being diagnosed with cancer

• Giving to God in our tithes and offerings

• And in many places around the world… calling yourself a Christian, or attending church, or possessing a Bible

At these crossroads is where our commitment is tested. When your child is severely sick and there is no cure, how to you respond? Are you angry and resentful of God? Do you pull away from reading His Word and worshiping with other believers?

There is a true story about three Jewish boys who came to a major crossroad, but they had already decided how they would handle a situation. They made a commitment and stuck to it… no matter the consequences. You might remember their names “Meshach, Shadrach and ___________ (Abednego), right!

(Tell the story from the book of Daniel – Chapters 2 & 3)



Sing “I Have Decided To Follow Jesus” (Pg 602)

"I Have Decided to Follow Jesus" is a Christian hymn originating from India.

The lyrics are based on the last words of an man in Assam, north-east India, who along with his family was converted to Christianity in the middle of the 19th century through the efforts of a Welsh missionary. Called to renounce his faith by the village chief, the convert declared, "I have decided to follow Jesus." In response to threats to his family, he continued, "Though no one joins me, still I will follow." His wife was killed, and he was executed while singing, "The cross before me, the world behind me."



This display of faith is reported to have led to the conversion of the chief and others in the village.



Our display of commitment… being a follower of Jesus is not just something we do for us. I mean that IS important. But it is also a witness to others, which could ultimately draw them to Christ.

It is possible, that only in Heaven will we know if our lifestyle of commitment drew others to salvation. I can certainly imagine people wanting what you folks have. I imagine people can see Jesus living in you by the way you conduct yourselves daily… especially when no one is looking.



That’s commitment!!!!

“Service”


Kennard Friends Church

May 27, 2012

Bob Lines



This is Memorial Day. Let me share some history about this national holiday.

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service. Memorial Day is a federal holiday observed annually in the United States on the last Monday of May. It originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War. (Southern ladies organizations and southern schoolchildren had decorated Confederate graves in Richmond and other cities during the Civil War, but each region had its own date. Most dates were in May.) By the 20th century Memorial Day had been extended to honor all Americans who have died in all wars. Memorial Day is a day of remembering the men and women who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces.

This holiday honors those who serve our country around the world. The Bible has much to say about serving God AND this world too. We are to serve OTHERS. We are to serve FELLOW CHRISTIANS. We are to serve GOD.





We Serve Others

Matthew 20:28

For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Matthew 20:27-29 (in Context) Matthew 20 (Whole Chapter)

I don’t want to single people out this morning or cause them to be embarrassed. But there are several among us that I know for a fact do this very well. They mow someone else’s yard. They take care of an aging parent day after day, month after month. They always eat last at the family dinner they spent hours preparing. They check on their neighbor daily. They take rearrange their schedule to take family to the doctor or a friend to the grocery store. On and on and on…

This congregation, as a whole is good to serve others. Consider all the times you have reached out to the community and given a gift in time of a need. Or provided a meal and an opportunity for “community” for folks in Kennard. You give financially to missions as a way to serve others. And this summer the church is sponsoring Kylie who will be going in person to Haiti on a mission trip. Both Kylie and the church are living out this verse.



We Serve Fellow Christians

Galatians 5:13

For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. 14 For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[b]

Galatians 5:12-14 (in Context) Galatians 5 (Whole Chapter)

First of all, and this could be a completely separate message, our freedom in Christ is not a license to sin. Even though we have God’s grace and mercy available to us, we should want to live, and strive to live without sin. And only through the power of the Holy Spirit in us can we do that.

But the point about service here is to serve other Christians specifically. And the Bible specifically says this service should be done in love. How do we serve in love? Well, again the Bible says love is patient; love is kind, love does not hold grudges. Read the 13th chapter of 1st Corinthians for the complete list.



We Serve God

While service to others is important, serving God is written throughout scripture from Genesis to Revelation. Let me share just a few.

Genesis 17:1

[ Abram Is Named Abraham ] When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’ Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life.

Genesis 17:1-3 (in Context) Genesis 17 (Whole Chapter)

Exodus 23:25

“You must serve only the LORD your God. If you do, I will bless you with food and water, and I will protect you from illness. 26 There will be no miscarriages or infertility in your land, and I will give you long, full lives.

Exodus 23:24-26 (in Context) Exodus 23 (Whole Chapter)

Deuteronomy 10:12

[ A Call to Love and Obedience ] “And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you? He requires only that you fear the LORD your God, and live in a way that pleases him, and love him and serve him with all your heart and soul.

Deuteronomy 10:11-13 (in Context) Deuteronomy 10 (Whole Chapter)

John 12:26

Anyone who wants to be my disciple must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me.

John 12:25-27 (in Context) John 12 (Whole Chapter)



In conclusion, if we want to be like Jesus; if we want to follow him; if we want to know WWJD… the one word answer is SERVE!

Now watch for the Lord to give you opportunities to serve today, this week and for days to come.

Reflection, Rejection, Selection, Perfection

Kennard Friends Church


May 20, 2012

Bob Lines



Imagine you are going to make dinner. You first REFLECT on a list of several meals that sound good. You REJECT what meals do not sound good. You SELECT the one to make. Then you chop, fry, bake and stew towards PERFECTION.

We use these four steps all the time in our daily lives. We use these steps to getting dressed to go to town. We use these steps in working around the house, on our jobs, raising children, etc.

Reflection, rejection, selection and perfection are steps to take daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly during our lives.

Today I want to use these four simple steps to help us in our lives as we follow Christ. I will show us how these four steps can give us practical help to be all Christ wants us to be.



Reflection – Look back over the day, week, month, etc.

Psalm 119:15

I will study your commandments and reflect on your ways.

Psalm 119:14-16 (in Context) Psalm 119 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 119:55

I reflect at night on who you are, O LORD; therefore, I obey your instructions.

Psalm 119:54-56 (in Context) Psalm 119 (Whole Chapter)



Reflecting is all about looking back to get a clear perspective. You know the familiar phrase “hindsight is 20-20”. Looking back helps us see things that can help us as we move forward. Looking back does not mean living in the past or dwelling on the past.

Think of it like driving a car. While we move forward 99.9% of the time, while we look through the windshield the vast majority of the time, we still use mirrors to look back. Looking back, while moving forward, can help us know if we can change lanes, or if slowing down will put us in danger, or to just get an idea of what might be coming.

In life we use a variety of “rear view mirrors” to reflect on the past. In school we used report cards. They were a reflection of what we’d already done, but were a tool to use for improving our future.

As a Christian and follower of Jesus we can, and should, REFLECT on our life. What have Bible as our mirror to look at. The Word of God shows us commandments to live by. It shows us ways to travel by. It maps out our road of obedience. By studying the Bible and thinking about who God is, we can do our best reflection of the day, the week, the month, the year.



Rejection – Consider what you did, said, heard, etc. that God would have you reject in your life.

After an honest reflection on our life, now let’s look at what Scripture says regarding what actions and attitudes to change and what to keep. Let’s look first at what to reject.

Psalm 101:3-5

3 I will refuse to look at

anything vile and vulgar.

I hate all who deal crookedly;

I will have nothing to do with them.

4 I will reject perverse ideas

and stay away from every evil.

5 I will not tolerate people who slander their neighbors.

I will not endure conceit and pride.

7 I will not allow deceivers to serve in my house,

and liars will not stay in my presence.



2 Corinthians 4:2

We reject all shameful deeds and underhanded methods. We don’t try to trick anyone or distort the word of God. We tell the truth before God, and all who are honest know this.

2 Corinthians 4:1-3 (in Context) 2 Corinthians 4 (Whole Chapter)



There are volumes of verses that help guide us to the right motives, the right attitudes and the right actions. As we hold up the Word of God as a mirror, we can see where the smudges are. Knowing that God is full of grace and mercy, He can wipe it clean and help us to keep our mirror shiny.

Ask the Lord to help you reject those things that you have reflected on which should not be part of your Christian life. Our obedience is a reflection of our love for Christ. Our love is a reflection of Christ.



Selection – Consider what you did, said, heard, etc. that God would have you continue in your life.

Deuteronomy 30:19-20

19 “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! 20 You can make this choice by loving the LORD your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This[a] is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the LORD, you will live long in the land the LORD swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”

Proverbs 8:10

Choose my instruction rather than silver, and knowledge rather than pure gold.

Proverbs 8:9-11 (in Context) Proverbs 8 (Whole Chapter)

Proverbs 22:1

Choose a good reputation over great riches; being held in high esteem is better than silver or gold.

Proverbs 22:1-3 (in Context) Proverbs 22 (Whole Chapter)

Ecclesiastes 10:2

A wise person chooses the right road; a fool takes the wrong one.

Ecclesiastes 10:1-3 (in Context) Ecclesiastes 10 (Whole Chapter)

Romans 6:16

Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living.

Romans 6:15-17 (in Context) Romans 6 (Whole Chapter)



When we reflect over our day, our week, the month or year, it is not enough just to reject what is not good. We need to proactively select what is good. And again the Bible is full of instruction of what we should select. That’s why we need to feed on the written Word daily, and think about it throughout the day.





Perfection – Doing the above three steps will lead us to following the scripture that encourages to spend our lives working toward perfection in Christ.



The last step to consider is perfection. Does God expect us to be perfect? Can we be perfect even with his help? Let’s review what the Bible says about perfection.



Psalm 18:32

God arms me with strength, and he makes my way perfect.

Psalm 18:31-33 (in Context) Psalm 18 (Whole Chapter)

Isaiah 26:3

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!

Isaiah 26:2-4 (in Context) Isaiah 26 (Whole Chapter)

Matthew 5:47-48

47 If you are kind only to your friends,[a] how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. 48 But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Matthew 19:21

Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

Matthew 19:20-22 (in Context) Matthew 19 (Whole Chapter)

Romans 12:2

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Romans 12:1-3 (in Context) Romans 12 (Whole Chapter)

Galatians 3:3

How foolish can you be? After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?

Galatians 3:2-4 (in Context) Galatians 3 (Whole Chapter)

Philippians 3:12

[ Pressing toward the Goal ] I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me.

Philippians 3:11-13 (in Context) Philippians 3 (Whole Chapter)

Hebrews 12:2

We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.

Hebrews 12:1-3 (in Context) Hebrews 12 (Whole Chapter)

James 1:4

So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

James 1:3-5 (in Context) James 1 (Whole Chapter)

1 John 4:17

And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.

1 John 4:16-18 (in Context) 1 John 4 (Whole Chapter)



Perfection seems to be more of a journey than a destination. It is not our human effort that leads us toward perfection, but it is by keeping our eyes on Jesus. It is by growing and enduring. It is by pressing on. It is by allowing God to transform the way you think. It is by obeying what God tells us to do [what do we have to “go and sell and give away?”]. It is by accepting that we to strive to be perfect like our Father in heaven is perfect.



Can you remember these four steps?

• Reflection

• Rejection

• Selection

• Perfection

“The Warning Label”

Kennard Friends Church

May 6, 2012

Bob Lines

This past week Jan went to the doctor and was prescribed an antibiotic for an infection. The doctor prescribed the antibiotic to make her better. However, the pill to help her came with a long list of warning for possible side effects; some of which she had to suffer through in order to get better. I’m sure you have noticed the commercials on TV for drugs that have the strangest warnings. Let me share just a few.

Nexium (for acid reflux) In adults 18 and older, side effects with NEXIUM include headache, diarrhea and abdominal pain. Relief of symptoms with Nexium does not rule out the existence of other serious stomach conditions. Talk to your doctor about your risk for bone fractures if you take multiple daily doses of Nexium for a long period of time. Talk to your doctor about your risk for low magnesium levels if you take NEXIUM for a long period of time. Lipitor – for cholesterol LIPITOR can cause serious side effects. These side effects have happened only to a small number of people. Your doctor can monitor you for them. These side effects usually go away if your dose is lowered or LIPITOR is stopped. These serious side effects include: • Muscle problems. LIPITOR can cause serious muscle problems that can lead to kidney problems, including kidney failure. You have a higher chance for muscle problems if you are taking certain other medicines with LIPITOR.
• Liver problems. LIPITOR can cause liver problems. Your doctor may do blood tests to check your liver before you start taking LIPITOR, and while you take it. Call your doctor right away if:
• You have muscle problems like weakness, tenderness, or pain that happen without a good reason, especially if you also have a fever or feel more tired than usual
• You have allergic reactions including swelling of the face, lips, tongue, and/or throat that may cause difficulty in breathing or swallowing, which may require treatment right away
• You experience nausea and vomiting
• You pass brown or dark-colored urine
• You feel more tired than usual
• Your skin and whites of your eyes get yellow
• You have stomach pain
• You have an allergic skin reaction In clinical studies, patients reported the following common side effects while taking LIPITOR:
• Diarrhea
• Upset stomach
• Muscle and joint pain
• Alterations in some laboratory tests The following additional side effects have been reported with LIPITOR:
• Tiredness
• Tendon problems Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you have side effects that bother you or that will not go away.

These are not all the side effects of LIPITOR. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for a complete list. Plavix – for heart issues
1. PLAVIX can cause bleeding which can be serious and can sometimes lead to death. PLAVIX is a blood thinner medicine that lowers the chance of blood clots forming in your body.
While you take PLAVIX:
• you may bruise and bleed more easily
• you are more likely to have nose bleeds
• it will take longer for any bleeding to stop Call your doctor right away if you have any of these signs or symptoms of bleeding:
• unexpected bleeding or bleeding that lasts a long time
• blood in your urine (pink, red or brown urine)
• red or black stools (looks like tar)
• bruises that happen without a known cause or get larger
• cough up blood or blood clots
• vomit blood or your vomit looks like coffee grounds (“Good to the last puke?”)


These are warnings that are meant to help, but they sure seem to make what is good SEEM bad. God has a way of putting warning labels out for us. They are definitely meant to help us. They may seem to be bad, but are ultimately for our good.

Let’s look at just a few examples from the Bible, and then we will make it even more personal!

The warning that came to Adam and Eve… but they still took the pill. God told Adam and Eve to eat freely from everything in the Garden EXCEPT the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. But we all know that they ate of that tree and suffered the consequences. Their consequences apply to us even today.

Genesis 2:15-17 15 The LORD God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it. 16 But the LORD God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden— 17 except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.”

The warning that came to Lot’s wife… but she still took the pill. God said NOT to look back, but Lot’s wife did. And she immediately turned into a pillar of salt.

The warning that came to Pharaoh… but he still took the pill. God said to Pharaoh “Let my people go”, but he did not. Many of Egypt, including him suffered terribly. The warning that came to the people in the Exodus… but they still took the pill. God told, even showed the people that He would save them from slavery. That He would provide for their daily needs. That He would direct them to the promised land. But many choose to disobey God and even created idols which to serve. An entire generation of those that exited Egypt did NOT get to the promised land.

The warning that came to the rich young ruler… but he still took the pill. Jesus to this young man exactly what HE must do to be a follower. But the man decided it was too much and likely ended up eternally lost. The warning that came to ???… but they still took the pill.

The WARNING that comes to you and me, but… will you and I take the pill? What is God telling you and me to do, or not do?
• Are you to forgive, but you have taken the pill of resentment?
• Are you to speak with hope, but you have taken the pill of doubt?
• Are you to think positive thoughts, but you have swallowed the pill of negativity?
• Are you to give generously, but have taken the pill of stinginess?
• Are you to claim that you are being blessed through the riches of Christ, yet take a daily pill of poverty?
• Are you to choose Heaven, but are on a prescription of Hell?

Luke 3:17-19 17 He is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with his winnowing fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire.” 18 John used many such warnings as he announced the Good News to the people.

• Are you to choose life, but have chosen the pill for death?
• Are you to choose love, but have gobbled up bottles of pills of hate?
• Are you to make a deeper commitment to Jesus, but have swallowed the pill of being content to just know about him?
• Are you to choose being a servant to others, but you have taken the pill of being served? • Are you… (fill in the blank)

Let’s close in prayer by singing a song of response that will help the Holy Spirit move us to whatever He has in mind to close today’s service.

Hebrews 3:12-14 12 Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters.[a] Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. 13 You must warn each other every day, while it is still “today,” so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God. 14 For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ.

“His Hands” [Part 3 of 3]


Kennard Friends Church

April 29, 2012

Bob Lines



His Hands – Part Three

Julie Armstrong (Guest)

Signing the Lord's prayer, giving a mini quiz (about myths of ASL) and talking just a little about the "work" of hands.

Here's a little bit of info about me and what I'm doing: I'm a professor of signed language interpreting at IUPUI. I teach ASL, linguistics, and interpreting. I have a PhD in linguistics. I also work as a signed language interpreter, interpreting everything from weddings, funerals, births, college classes, doctors appointments, and political speeches (just to name a few!). I hold national interpreting certifications. I've been working in the Deaf community for over 18 years.



Over the past two weeks we covered twenty descriptions of God’s hands found in the Bible. As a quick review we learned about His strong hand, His powerful hand, His striking hand, His mighty hand, His heavy hand, His supporting hand, His disciplining hand, His holding hand, His forming hand, His victorious hand, His creating hand, His blessing hand, His guiding hand, His opening hand, His gathering hand, His judging hand, His protecting hand, His secure hand, His turning hand, and His clapping hands. Today we finish up with eleven more.



His scripting hand:

Daniel 5:5

Suddenly, they saw the fingers of a human hand writing on the plaster wall of the king’s palace, near the lampstand. The king himself saw the hand as it wrote,

Daniel 5:4-6 (in Context) Daniel 5 (Whole Chapter)

Many people say they wish God would just write an answer to prayer in the sky so they could clearly see what he is saying to them. Well, something similar happened to someone. Let me recap the story from the Book of Daniel.

King Belshazzar; feast with 1,000 nobles; drinking wine from gold and silver cups taken from the Temple at Jerusalem. Fingers start writing on the plaster wall; king and everyone were frightened; Daniel was called in to interpret:

25 “This is the message that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, and PARSIN. 26 This is what these words mean:

Mene means ‘numbered’—God has numbered the days of your reign and has brought it to an end.

27 Tekel means ‘weighed’—you have been weighed on the balances and have not measured up.

28 Parsin[d] means ‘divided’—your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”

Exodus 8:18-20

New Living Translation (NLT)

18 Pharaoh’s magicians tried to do the same thing with their secret arts, but this time they failed. And the gnats covered everyone, people and animals alike.

19 “This is the finger of God!” the magicians exclaimed to Pharaoh. But Pharaoh’s heart remained hard. He wouldn’t listen to them, just as the LORD had predicted.

Exodus 31:17-18

New Living Translation (NLT)

17 It is a permanent sign of my covenant with the people of Israel. For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, but on the seventh day he stopped working and was refreshed.’”

18 When the LORD finished speaking with Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him the two stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant,[a] written by the finger of God.

From the New Testament… from the hand and finger of God to the finger of Jesus.

John 8:5-7

5 The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?”

6 They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. 7 They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone





God’s finger is available right now to communicate with us. But, don’t look in the sky, or on the plaster wall, or on the ground. Look in his Word. Everything we need to know about him and about how we are to live is right there. The very answer to anything we can ask is there.



His touching hand:

Matthew 8:15

But when Jesus touched her hand, the fever left her. Then she got up and prepared a meal for him.

Matthew 8:14-16 (in Context) Matthew 8 (Whole Chapter)



His healing hand:

Matthew 9:25

After the crowd was put outside, however, Jesus went in and took the girl by the hand, and she stood up!

Matthew 9:24-26 (in Context) Matthew 9 (Whole Chapter)

Mark 8:23

Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. Then, spitting on the man’s eyes, he laid his hands on him and asked, “Can you see anything now?”

Mark 8:22-24 (in Context) Mark 8 (Whole Chapter)

Mark 7:33

Jesus led him away from the crowd so they could be alone. He put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then, spitting on his own fingers, he touched the man’s tongue.

Mark 7:32-34 (in Context) Mark 7 (Whole Chapter)



His blessing hand:

Matthew 19:13

[ Jesus Blesses the Children ] One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could lay his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him.

Matthew 19:12-14 (in Context) Matthew 19 (Whole Chapter)

Matthew 19:15

And he placed his hands on their heads and blessed them before he left.

Matthew 19:14-16 (in Context) Matthew 19 (Whole Chapter)



His honoring hand:

Matthew 22:44

‘The LORD said to my Lord, Sit in the place of honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies beneath your feet.’

Matthew 22:43-45 (in Context) Matthew 22 (Whole Chapter)



His resurrected hand:

Luke 24:39

Look at my hands. Look at my feet. You can see that it’s really me. Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost, because ghosts don’t have bodies, as you see that I do.”

Luke 24:38-40 (in Context) Luke 24 (Whole Chapter)



His secure hand:

John 10:29

for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand.

John 10:28-30 (in Context) John 10 (Whole Chapter)

Last week I shared a similar verse from Isaiah. Isaiah 43:13 “From eternity to eternity I am God. No one can snatch anyone out of my hand. No one can undo what I have done.”





His wounded hand:

John 20:20

As he spoke, he showed them the wounds in his hands and his side. They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord!

John 20:19-21 (in Context) John 20 (Whole Chapter)

John 20:25

They told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.”

John 20:24-26 (in Context) John 20 (Whole Chapter)

John 20:27

Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”

John 20:26-28 (in Context) John 20 (Whole Chapter)



His righteous hand:

Hebrews 10:31

It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Hebrews 10:30-32 (in Context) Hebrews 10 (Whole Chapter)



His reaping hand:

Revelation 14:14

[ The Harvest of the Earth ] Then I saw a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was someone like the Son of Man. He had a gold crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand.

Revelation 14:13-15 (in Context) Revelation 14 (Whole Chapter)

The purpose of Revelation 14:14-20 is to preview the final judgment of God against the wicked earth-dwellers.



His nail-scarred hands:

John 20:25

They told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.”

John 20:24-26 (in Context) John 20 (Whole Chapter)

His Hands – Part 2 of 3

Last week we covered about one third of the Bible verses that describe God’s hands. As a quick review we learned about His strong hand, His powerful hand, His striking hand, His mighty hand, His heavy hand, His supporting hand, His disciplining hand, His holding hand, His forming hand, and His victorious hand.

Last week I had us take a close look at our hand… the color, blemishes, smoothness, roughness, manicured, scarred, young, old, straight, crooked, painful, pain free.

This week I want to share some medical, anatomical facts about our hands that God created. The hand consists of a palm with four, folding fingers and one opposing thumb. Each finger has three bones with joints that allow bending. The thumb has two bones with two joints. Muscles and tendons are attached to the 27 bones. The hand is controlled by the brain. The right hand is controlled by the left hemisphere of the brain and the left hand is controlled by the right hemisphere. The brain sends signals to the hand, telling it what it wants it to do. Two muscle groups take that message and accomplish movement in the hand.

Extrinsic muscles extend from the forearm in the form of flexors and extensors. Intrinsic muscles are located inside the hand. Extensors straighten the fingers out. Flexors allow the fingers to bend and grasp. The thumb has two flexors that help with holding onto objects.

The brain signals the muscles in the arm, wrist and hand to cooperate by using the extrinsic and intrinsic muscles to move the hand. With its impressive number of bones and joints, the hand can be used as a tool, or a means of communication.

The hand is one of the most sophisticated aspects of the human body. Humans have the most intricate muscles and bones in our hands so we can do very delicate manipulations to small objects.

Did you know your legs are about 50 times stronger than your arms? And the weakest parts of your arms are your hands. As far as sensitivity, your hands have almost the same number of nerve endings as rest of your body (not including the toes, tongue, and lips). About one fourth of all our body’s bones are found in our hands. The fingers on one hand will be flexed and extended about 25 million times over the course of one lifetime. And the hand also has very sensitive “antennae” for receiving stimuli from the environment: There are a total of 17,000 touch receptors and free nerve endings in the palm for passing on sensations of pressure, movement and vibration, so it is with good reason that the sense of touch is associated so strongly with the hand. Now let’s look at 10 more adjectives the Bible uses to describe God’s hands.

His creating hand:
Psalm 102:25

Long ago you laid the foundation of the earth and made the heavens with your hands. Psalm 102:24-26 (in Context) Psalm 102 (Whole Chapter)

Isaiah 45:12

I am the one who made the earth and created people to live on it. With my hands I stretched out the heavens. All the stars are at my command. Isaiah 45:11-13 (in Context) Isaiah 45 (Whole Chapter)

"How Many People Have Ever Lived on Earth?" is one of PRB's most popular articles. First published in 1995 and updated in 2002, this latest 2011 article includes data through mid-2011. How Many People Have Ever Lived On Earth? 108 Billion! NUMBER WHO HAVE EVER BEEN BORN 107,602,707,791 World population in mid-2011 6,987,000,000 Percent of those ever born who are living in 2011 6.5 Source: Population Reference Bureau estimates.

How many stars are in the universe? Based on current estimates, there are between 200 - 400 billion stars in our galaxy (The Milky Way). There are possibly 100 billion galaxies in the Universe. So about 3 septillion. This has been equated to the same number of grains of sand that are on Earth.

One source (BBC) stated that there are about 1,000 stars to every grain of sand on Earth!! There are an estimated 100 to 200 billion galaxies.

So taking a conservative number of 100 billion stars per galaxy gives an approximate total of 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 stars. (Which is 10 sextillion)

The newest estimates gained by the Hubble space telescope places the estimate of 500 billion Galaxies each with about 300 billion stars for each galaxy.

Isaiah 48:13
It was my hand that laid the foundations of the earth, my right hand that spread out the heavens above. When I call out the stars, they all appear in order.” Isaiah 48:12-14 (in Context) Isaiah 48 (Whole Chapter)

More about the stars from the Word of God… Psalm 147:4 He counts the stars and calls them all by name. Psalm 147:3-5 (in Context) Psalm 147 (Whole Chapter)

Our little granddaughter Vivie is two years old and can count to 12… and WE are impressed! God can count all the stars AND knows their name… are WE impressed?

His blessing hand:
Psalm 139:5
You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Psalm 139:4-6 (in Context) Psalm 139 (Whole Chapter)

Isaiah 66:14
When you see these things, your heart will rejoice. You will flourish like the grass! Everyone will see the LORD’s hand of blessing on his servants— and his anger against his enemies. Isaiah 66:13-15 (in Context) Isaiah 66 (Whole Chapter)

Numbers 6 (NLT)
The Priestly Blessing 22 Then the LORD said to Moses, 23 “Tell Aaron and his sons to bless the people of Israel with this special blessing: 24 ‘May the LORD bless you and protect you. 25 May the LORD smile on you and be gracious to you. 26 May the LORD show you his favor and give you his peace.’ 27 Whenever Aaron and his sons bless the people of Israel in my name, I myself will bless them.”
His guiding hand:
Psalm 139:10
even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me. Psalm 139:9-11 (in Context) Psalm 139 (Whole Chapter)
His open hand:
Psalm 145:16
When you open your hand, you satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing. Psalm 145:15-17 (in Context) Psalm 145 (Whole Chapter)
His gathering hand:
Isaiah 11:11
In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to bring back the remnant of his people— those who remain in Assyria and northern Egypt; in southern Egypt, Ethiopia, and Elam; in Babylonia, Hamath, and all the distant coastlands. Isaiah 11:10-12 (in Context) Isaiah 11 (Whole Chapter)

His judging hand:
Isaiah 14:26
I have a plan for the whole earth, a hand of judgment upon all the nations. Isaiah 14:25-27 (in Context) Isaiah 14 (Whole Chapter) Zephaniah 3:15 For the LORD will remove his hand of judgment and will disperse the armies of your enemy. And the LORD himself, the King of Israel, will live among you! At last your troubles will be over, and you will never again fear disaster. Zephaniah 3:14-16 (in Context) Zephaniah 3 (Whole Chapter) Matthew 25:33 He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left. Matthew 25:32-34 (in Context) Matthew 25 (Whole Chapter)

His secure hand:
Isaiah 43:13 “From eternity to eternity I am God. No one can snatch anyone out of my hand. No one can undo what I have done.” Isaiah 43:12-14 (in Context) Isaiah 43 (Whole Chapter)
His protecting hand:
Isaiah 51:16
And I have put my words in your mouth and hidden you safely in my hand. I stretched out the sky like a canopy and laid the foundations of the earth. I am the one who says to Israel, ‘You are my people!’” Isaiah 51:15-17 (in Context) Isaiah 51 (Whole Chapter)

His turning hand:
Lamentations 3:3
He has turned his hand against me again and again, all day long. Lamentations 3:2-4 (in Context) Lamentations 3 (Whole Chapter)

His clapping hands:
There was the famous commercial we’ve all seen for the product called “The Clapper”… “Clap on. Clap off. The Clapper!” Can you imagine the effect on this world when God claps his hands? I found two verses in the Bible that refer to his “clapping” hands.

Ezekiel 21:17
I, too, will clap my hands, and I will satisfy my fury. I, the LORD, have spoken!” Ezekiel 21:16-18 (in Context)
8 Then the LORD said to me, 9 “Son of man, give the people this message from the Lord: “A sword, a sword is being sharpened and polished. 10 It is sharpened for terrible slaughter and polished to flash like lightning! Now will you laugh? Those far stronger than you have fallen beneath its power![b] 11 Yes, the sword is now being sharpened and polished; it is being prepared for the executioner. 12 “Son of man, cry out and wail; pound your thighs in anguish, for that sword will slaughter my people and their leaders— everyone will die! 13 It will put them all to the test. What chance do they have?[c] says the Sovereign LORD. 14 “Son of man, prophesy to them and clap your hands. Then take the sword and brandish it twice, even three times, to symbolize the great massacre, the great massacre facing them on every side. 15 Let their hearts melt with terror, for the sword glitters at every gate. It flashes like lightning and is polished for slaughter! 16 O sword, slash to the right, then slash to the left, wherever you will, wherever you want. 17 I, too, will clap my hands, and I will satisfy my fury. I, the LORD, have spoken!”

Closing prayer.

“His Hands” [Part 1 of 3]

“His Hands” [Part 1 of 3]
Kennard Friends Church
April 15, 2011
Bob Lines

Look at your hands for minute. Examine them. Look. Feel. Look at the color, blemishes, smoothness, roughness, manicured, scarred, young, old, straight, crooked, painful, painless. Do you know your hands like… well, “like the back of your hand”?

Let me tell you a story about my dad’s hands. I remember a variety of things about them during my lifetime. Most of them were good, some of them not.
• There were hands that threw a baseball, even though I only remember it happening one time.
• There were hands of clinched fists because he was frequently angry about something (sometimes because I hadn’t behaved very well).
• There were greasy, dirty, calloused hands from working long hours at a noisy, oily machine in the factory; then maybe after a quick nap to rest those hands they would smell of gasoline from working a part-time job at a service station.
• There were hands rapping my backside in an effort to correct my misbehavior and make me a better man.
• There were hands that pushed an old Lawn-Boy mower he’d repaired a few dozen times to keep it running.
• There were soil-stained hands from hours of labor tilling, planting a hoeing weeds in the garden.
• There were sore, scratched and bruised hands from cutting truckloads of firewood for the cold winters.
• There were giving hands when they were holding the keys to a new (well, used) 1964 Chevy Impala.
• There were clapping hands when he watched me play in a football game or compete in a wrestling match.
• There were hands that waved goodbye when they left Indiana and moved to Florida.
• There were hands that stroked the soft, white fur of a little toothless, aging, dog named Bentley.
• Today, there are aging hands that are pale, wrinkly, spotted, and gnarled.

Recently, as my dad laid bedfast and needing full-time care, he told me “I need you to cut my fingernails”. They had turned a yellowish color and were long and thick. So I grabbed some sturdy toe-nail clippers and began to trim them up a bit. I carefully lifted one finger at a time, holding the tip between my thumb and index finger. I went very slow, making sure to not to cut too deep. One-by-one, clip-by-clip, the job was completed. I put the clippers away and never thought about it again.

A few days later, I recalled the scene again. As I shared with Jan and a couple of friends what I had done, cutting his nails for the very first time, I broke down into tears. All of a sudden it occurred to me that at my age of 56, I had held the hands of my dad… for the very first time. Of all the things I could think of to describe what my dad’s hands were, I realized they were never “holding” hands. You probably could write a similar story of the hands of someone you know, or have known. It would like be those of a parent or a child.

[See what the Bible says about what the hands of God and Jesus are like. Below are over 30 descriptions of God’s hands.]

His strong hand:
Exodus 6:1 Then the LORD told Moses, “Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh. When he feels the force of my strong hand, he will let the people go. In fact, he will force them to leave his land!” You know the story of Moses and the exodus of the Israelites don’t you? You may have watched the Ten Commandments recently and caught the story again. Moses was commanded by God to go to the Pharaoh and tell him to let His people go! Pharaoh was stubborn and wouldn’t give in at first. But God used his strong hand to change Pharaoh’s mind.

Here’s some other verses about His hand on Pharaoh and the exodus experience:

His powerful hand:
Exodus 7:5 When I raise my powerful hand and bring out the Israelites, the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD.” Exodus 7:4-6 (in Context) 4 Even then Pharaoh will refuse to listen to you. So I will bring down my fist on Egypt. Then I will rescue my forces—my people, the Israelites—from the land of Egypt with great acts of judgment. 5 When I raise my powerful hand and bring out the Israelites, the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD.”

His striking hand:
Exodus 9:3 the hand of the LORD will strike all your livestock—your horses, donkeys, camels, cattle, sheep, and goats—with a deadly plague.

Exodus 9:1-7 (in Context) 9 “Go back to Pharaoh,” the LORD commanded Moses. “Tell him, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: Let my people go, so they can worship me. 2 If you continue to hold them and refuse to let them go, 3 the hand of the LORD will strike all your livestock—your horses, donkeys, camels, cattle, sheep, and goats—with a deadly plague. 4 But the LORD will again make a distinction between the livestock of the Israelites and that of the Egyptians. Not a single one of Israel’s animals will die! 5 The LORD has already set the time for the plague to begin. He has declared that he will strike the land tomorrow.’” 6 And the LORD did just as he had said. The next morning all the livestock of the Egyptians died, but the Israelites didn’t lose a single animal. 7 Pharaoh sent his officials to investigate, and they discovered that the Israelites had not lost a single animal! But even so, Pharaoh’s heart remained stubborn,[a] and he still refused to let the people go.

His mighty hand:
Exodus 13:3 So Moses said to the people, “This is a day to remember forever—the day you left Egypt, the place of your slavery. Today the LORD has brought you out by the power of his mighty hand.
Now we will look at how the hand of God dealt with others who were enemies of His children.

His heavy hand:
1 Samuel 5:6 Then the LORD’s heavy hand struck the people of Ashdod and the nearby villages with a plague of tumors. 1 Samuel 5:5-12 (in Context) 5 After the Philistines captured the Ark of God, they took it from the battleground at Ebenezer to the town of Ashdod. 2 They carried the Ark of God into the temple of Dagon and placed it beside an idol of Dagon. 3 But when the citizens of Ashdod went to see it the next morning, Dagon had fallen with his face to the ground in front of the Ark of the LORD! So they took Dagon and put him in his place again. 4 But the next morning the same thing happened—Dagon had fallen face down before the Ark of the LORD again. This time his head and hands had broken off and were lying in the doorway. Only the trunk of his body was left intact. 5 That is why to this day neither the priests of Dagon nor anyone who enters the temple of Dagon in Ashdod will step on its threshold. 6 Then the LORD’s heavy hand struck the people of Ashdod and the nearby villages with a plague of tumors.[a] 7 When the people realized what was happening, they cried out, “We can’t keep the Ark of the God of Israel here any longer! He is against us! We will all be destroyed along with Dagon, our god.” 8 So they called together the rulers of the Philistine towns and asked, “What should we do with the Ark of the God of Israel?” The rulers discussed it and replied, “Move it to the town of Gath.” So they moved the Ark of the God of Israel to Gath. 9 But when the Ark arrived at Gath, the LORD’s heavy hand fell on its men, young and old; he struck them with a plague of tumors, and there was a great panic. 10 So they sent the Ark of God to the town of Ekron, but when the people of Ekron saw it coming they cried out, “They are bringing the Ark of the God of Israel here to kill us, too!” 11 The people summoned the Philistine rulers again and begged them, “Please send the Ark of the God of Israel back to its own country, or it[b] will kill us all.” For the deadly plague from God had already begun, and great fear was sweeping across the town. 12 Those who didn’t die were afflicted with tumors; and the cry from the town rose to heaven.

His supporting hand:
Psalm 18:35 You have given me your shield of victory. Your right hand supports me; your help has made me great. Psalm 18:34-36 (in Context) Psalm 18 (Whole Chapter) We have all likely heard of poem or seen a picture of “Footprints in the sand”. There are times in our lives that God has carried us. Did you realize he can support you in one hand?

His disciplining hand:
Psalm 32:4 Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Psalm 32:3-5 (in Context) 3 When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. 4 Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Interlude 5 Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the LORD.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.

His holding hand: Psalm 95:4 He holds in his hands the depths of the earth and the mightiest mountains.
As children we may have sung “He’s got the whole world in his hands.” That’s easy for a child to sing, but as adults we can easily forget or not believe. Maybe that’s why Jesus said we have to become like little children to inherit the kingdom of God. So just how big are those encompassing hands? The highest mountain (In Asia Mt. Everest @ 29,029 ft) AND the deepest depths (The Mariana Trench is located in the Western Pacific near Guam @ 35,800 ft).

Life on Mt Everest:

A black jumping spider, has been found at elevations as high as 22,000 ft, possibly making it the highest confirmed non-microscopic permanent resident on Earth. It lurks in crevices and may feed on frozen insects that have been blown there by the wind. It should be noted that there is a high likelihood of microscopic life at even higher altitudes. Birds, such as the Bar-headed Goose, have been seen flying at the higher altitudes of the mountain scavenging on food, or even corpses, left by prior climbing expeditions. There is a moss that grows at 21,260 ft on Mount Everest. It may be the highest altitude plant species.

Life in the Mariana Trench:

With great surprise because of the high pressure, at the bottom of the trench are living creatures such as a sole or flounder about 1 ft long, and a type of shrimp. The bottom is covered in a waste of firm diatomaceous ooze (algae). Mud samples from the seabed reveal tiny organisms living in that mud. Amongst many other living organisms are some gigantic single-celled amoebas with a size of more than 4 inches.

Isaiah 40:12

Who else has held the oceans in his hand? Who has measured off the heavens with his fingers? Who else knows the weight of the earth or has weighed the mountains and hills on a scale?

The volume of all oceans: The world’s ocean cover 71 percent of the earth's surface, or about 140 million square miles. Its average depth is 16,000 ft, and its total volume is over 322 million cubic miles. The size of the universe: The visible universe: There is an edge to what we are able to see in the universe. Light travels at 186,000 miles per second. That's top speed in this universe—nothing can go faster. The nearest big galaxy to our Milky Way, the Andromeda galaxy, is two million light-years away. The most distant galaxies we can now see are 10 or 12 billion light-years away. This horizon describes the visible universe—a region some 28 billion light years in diameter.

To measure really long distances, people use a unit called a light year. Light travels at 186,000 miles per second. Therefore, a light second is 186,000 miles. A light year is the distance that light can travel in a year, or: 186,000 miles/second * 60 seconds/minute * 60 minutes/hour * 24 hours/day * 365 days/year = 5,865,696,000,000 miles/year.

A light year is 5,865,696,000,000 miles. That's almost 6 trillion miles! The weight of the earth: 5.972 sextillion (1,000 trillion) metric tons. That’s 5,972,000,000,000,000,000,000 tons! (5972 followed by 18 zeros)

His forming hand: Psalm 95:5

The sea belongs to him, for he made it. His hands formed the dry land, too. Psalm 95:4-6 (in Context) Psalm 95 (Whole Chapter) How many square miles of land on earth: There are approximately 57.5 million square miles of land on earth, only 29.2 percent of the earth's surface.

Isaiah 64:8

And yet, O LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter. We all are formed by your hand.

His victorious hand:
Psalm 98:1
Sing a new song to the LORD, for he has done wonderful deeds. His right hand has won a mighty victory; his holy arm has shown his saving power!
In closing read Psalm 98.

Hopefully by examining a few scriptures about just one part of God… his hands, you will have an even greater confidence that he can take care of any need, problem, enemy or worry you have.

I know this is not very Quaker-like, but can you use YOUR hands this morning and praise God for HIS hands!!!!