What’s in Your Hand?
We are going to take a look at 3 different examples of how God used what was in the
hands of people to bring about His purpose in their lives.
Moses was asked by God to return to Egypt, to tell Pharaoh to “let His people go”,
he was asked this question by God in Exodus 4:2-7, in verse 17 God said “and you
shall take this rod in your hand, wherewith you shall do signs”, thereby revealing His
supernatural power. Again, when a dispute arose among the Israelites concerning
who was to lead the people, God instructed all 12 tribes to take their rods and lay
them in the tabernacle of the congregation before the testimony, for God to reveal
who He choose; in Numbers 17:6-11 revealed by the supernatural, the budded rod
of Aaron with almond blossoms.
Elijah and the widow woman from Zarephath - this widow woman was gathering two
sticks to dress the last meal she had for her son and herself, then wait to die,
however God told Elijah to go there because He had commanded a widow woman to
sustain him. As Elijah spoke to this widow woman in I Kings 17:11-16 we see that
God supernaturally made the barrel of meal and the cruse of oil last until the famine
was over.
Elisha and the widow woman whose sons were about to be sold to repay her
husband’s debt (II Kings 4:1-7). She followed the instructions of the prophet and
had enough to repay her husband’s debt and live on the rest.
A New Testament example is how Jesus turned water into wine June 2:3-10 by the
servants obedience to fill up the water pots with water and then drawing out to the
ruler of the feast. Again when Jesus used the boy’s lunch to feed the 5000 men, the
boy gave his lunch and Jesus was able to use supernatural power, which brought
glory to God (Matthew 14:16-21).
As we look back over these examples, we see that what was in each of their hands
(in the natural) wasn’t sufficient, however, after hearing a word from God, each had
a supernatural ability to sustain them for many years.
Each of us have something in our hands that can be used to bring what God wants
us to fulfill, the problem had been not knowing what to do with what they have. We
have to start right where we are obeying God in what we have and not waiting until
we can see how it all comes together. Remember faith is not seen, by our natural
eyes. We have been instructed in James 1:5 “if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask
of God that gives to all men liberally, and upbraids not, and it shall be given him”.
Jesus said “for every one that asks receives and he that seeks finds, and to him that
knocks it shall be opened”. The Bible also tell us in Matthew 18:19 “again I say to
you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask,
it shall be done for them of My Father which is in heaven”. Let’s join together in
seeking to know what to do with what we have in our hands and glorify God by
fulfilling His purpose for our lives.
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: July 28, 2006