This is a study of texts that show the Father putting Jesus in full charge. Everything was put in His hands, and he had the power and authority over all.

1. JESUS WAS PUT IN FULLCHARGE
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
JOHN 3:35 The Fatherloves the Son and has placed
everything in his hands.
SCRIPTURE TELLS US WHO IS IN CHARGE
Matthew 28:18
And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given
to Me in heaven and on earth.
Ephesians 1:21
far above all rule and authority and powerand dominion, and every name
that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.
Matthew 28:18-20
And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given
to Me in heaven and on earth. "Go therefore and make disciples of all the
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Fatherand the Son and the Holy
Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with
you always, evento the end of the age."
Matthew 11:27

2. "All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the
Son exceptthe Father; nor does anyone know the Fatherexcept the Son, and
anyone to whom the Son wills to revealHim.
Philippians 2:9
For this reasonalso, Godhighly exalted Him, and bestowedon Him the name
which is above every name,
Colossians 2:10
and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule
and authority;
Matthew 28:19
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
1 Peter3:22
who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and
authorities and powers had been subjectedto Him.
John 3:35
"The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand.
Ephesians 1:20
which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and
seatedHim at His right hand in the heavenly places,
Matthew 28:17
even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, that to all whom You have
given Him, He may give eternal life.
1 Corinthians 15:24

3. then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father,
when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power.
Philippians 2:10
so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in
heaven and on earth and under the earth,
All Things in Christ's Hand
Biblical Illustrator
The verse gives us the following teachings —
1. The Father is the Origin and Arranger of all things.
2. In His arrangements all things are put into the hands of His Son.
3. One reasonofthis is the love of the Father towards the Son.
4. Ere Christ came to men there had been a sublime transactionin which a
vast administration had been entrusted on the one hand and acceptedonthe
other.
The FatherHas Given All Things into Jesus’s Hands
Resource by John Piper
Scripture: John 3:31–36 Topic:The Supremacy of Christ

4. He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the
earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all.
32 He bears witness to what he has seenand heard, yet no one receives his
testimony. 33 Whoever receives his testimony sets his sealto this, that God is
true. 34 For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the
Spirit without measure. 35 The Father loves the Son and has given all things
into his hand. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoeverdoes
not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.
Today we complete our focus on the first three chapters of the Gospelof John.
That’s about 24 sermons, and so I compute we are on a trajectoryto finish the
Gospelin about five years.
The main reasonI mention that is to emphasize for us all how much we value
the Bible as the very word of God. Preaching through a book with attention to
every sentence says loud and clear:We, the people and the preacher, submit
ourselves to all of Scripture. We try not to skip parts that may be
uncomfortable. We try not to ride hobbyhorses. We believe it is all inspired by
God and profitable for us.
Worshiping Our Way Through This Gospel
John said at the end of his Gospel, “These are written so that you may believe
that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have
life in his name” (John 20:31). That’s our greataim in worshiping our way
through this Gospel—to seethe glory of Christ and believe and have eternal
life and joy.
Jesus said, “The words that I have spokento you are spirit and life” (John
6:63). And Petersaid to Jesus, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the
words of eternallife” (John 6:68). What sortof eternallife is it? It is a joyful
eternal life. Jesus saidin John 15:11, “These things I have spokento you, that
my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”
Why would we not want to spend five years swimming in this oceanoflife and
joy?

5. Which John Is Speaking?
So here we are in the last six verses of John 3, starting at verse 31. John the
Baptist has just said in verse 30, “He [Jesus]must increase, but I must
decrease.”Notice thatthe ESV closes the quotation of John the Baptist at the
end of verse 30 with quotation marks.
That means the ESV translators think that John the writer of the Gospel
starts talking in verse 31. Some versions continue the quote from John the
Baptist to the end of the chapter. There is simply no way to be sure. Quotation
marks are not used in the originalmanuscripts.
In the end, it doesn’t seemto make much difference, because if John the
Gospelwriter is talking, he’s taking into accountwhat John the Baptist just
said. And if he is still quoting John the Baptist, he is quoting him to make the
point he wants to make by what he choosesto record. Either way, we are
getting the words of God’s inspired writer.
Lifting Up Jesus
In summary, here’s what John gives us (either John!). We getanother
expressionof John 1:14 and 16. “The Word became flesh [that is, the Son of
God, came into the world as the God-man Jesus the Messiah]and dwelt
among us, and we have seenhis glory, glory as of the only Son from the
Father, full of grace and truth. . . . And from his fullness we have all received,
grace upon grace.”
That is what is happening in every text of this Gospelin one way or another.
Jesus is being held up as glorious—magnificent, splendid, supreme—full of
grace and truth. And as we are enabled to see him for who he really is, grace
upon grace streams into our lives. And Jesus becomes forus the most precious
reality in the world—forgiving all our sins, providing all our righteousness,
and becoming an all-satisfying Treasure and Friend.
Jesus:From God, Full of God, As God

6. That is what is happening in John 3:31–36.Jesus is held up before us as
coming from God, and full of God, and speaking and ruling as God, so that
eternity divides betweenthose who sealGodas true in Jesus and those who
sealGod as a liar. The one has eternal life, and the other remains under the
wrath of God. That’s the sum of what’s here.
So I pray now that as I point to Jesus as from God, and full of God, and
speaking and ruling as God, you will have ears to hear. Take heedhow you
hear. In this moment, God is calling and confirming his sheep. John 10:27:
“My sheephear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” Or John
8:47: “Whoeveris of God hears the words of God. The reasonwhy you do not
hear them is that you are not of God.”
So I urge you with all the seriousnessI can: Hear the word of God, and see in
it the glory of God. “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we
have seenhis glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and
truth” (John 1:14). That is what I am praying for us all.
1) Jesus Is from God
First, Jesus is held up before us as from above, from heaven, from God the
Father.
Verse 31: “He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth
belongs to the earth and speaks inan earthly way. He who comes from heaven
is above all.” Verse 34: “Forhe whom Godhas sent utters the words of God.”
So in three different ways, John tells us Jesus does not have his origin on earth
but with God in heaven. Verse 31 at the beginning: “from above.” Verse 31 at
the end: “from heaven.” Verse 34 at the beginning: “Godhas sent.” And in
the contextof chapter3, this canonly refer to Jesus.
The One from Heaven Above
To make clearwhat this distinction means, John contrasts everybody else in
verse 31 with Jesus:“He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in

7. an earthly way.” That would include John the Baptist in distinction to Jesus,
and everybody else.
The verse is literally, “He who is from the earth is from the earth.” The point
here is the same as in John 3:6 where Jesus saidto Nicodemus, “Thatwhich is
born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” In
other words, everyone is born in a natural way through the flesh, and that is
all we are, flesh—oras he says here “from the earth.” Natural. Earthly, not
spiritual. With no supernatural life. Just human and fallen and in need of new
birth. That’s the point. Every person is in this category, exceptone—Jesus.
Jesus and Adam
Listen to this amazing explanation from Paul of what Jesus is saying here.
This is 1 Corinthians 15:47–49:
The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the secondman is from
heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is
the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne
the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of
heaven.
So Paul and Jesus see two categoriesofpeople: Adam and Jesus. One earthly.
The other “from heaven”—justlike John says. All of us bear the image of
Adam and his sinful condition. Adam is the head of the earthly human race.
And all who believe in Jesus bearhis image and his righteous condition. Jesus
is the head of a new human race—the family of God.
Paul puts it like this in Romans 5:17 and 19:
If, because ofone man’s trespass, deathreigned through that one man, much
more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of
righteousness reignin life through the one man Jesus Christ. . . For as by the
one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s
obedience the many will be made righteous.
One Who Is Infinitely Different

8. Now back to John 3:31: “He who comes from above is above all. He who is of
the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way.” That’s Jesus and
the restof us. “Thatwhich is born of the flesh is flesh” (John 3:6). If the Son
of God had not been sent“from above,” “from heaven,” “from God,” we
would all remain in our sin and under God’s wrath. So John is saying: There
is one who is infinitely different. He does not share in Adam’s sin. He is not
merely “from earth.”
“In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word
was God. . . . And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:1, 14).
He is from above, from heaven, from God. And he has come into the world,
without sin, on a mission to rescue sinners (John 3:17).
2) Jesus Is Full of God
Second, not only is he from God, but he is also full of God.
There is something very profound and very mysterious and very wonderful at
the end of verse 34 and the beginning of verse 35. Let’s read both those verses,
and you make the connectionbetweenthe end and the beginning of the verses.
He whom God has sentutters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without
measure. 35 The Fatherloves the Son and has given all things into his hand.
Remember to ignore verse divisions as much as you can. Take the lastpart of
verse 34 and the first part of verse 35 without a break: “Godgives the Spirit
[to the one whom he sent] without measure. . . . The Father loves the Son.”
(Two present tenses:The Father is always giving the Son the Spirit without
measure and always loving the Son.)
The Tip of a Trinitarian Iceberg
I’m going to give you the tip of the iceberg of what I think is here and then
challenge you to watch for it elsewhere in Scripture. God gives the one whom
he sent the Spirit without measure. What does that mean?

9. It means that there is an infinite difference betweenthe way the Son of God
receives the Spirit of God and the way we receive the Spirit. The difference is
that he receives it “without measure.” The way the Sonof God receives the
Spirit of Godis measureless. It cannotbe measured. Why not? Becauseit is
infinite. God communicates, imparts, bestows his Spirit on the Son infinitely.
As much as there is of the Spirit, the Sonhas. As many ways as he can have
him, he has him in all those ways. As fully as the Spirit can be known and
enjoyed, in all that fullness he knows and enjoys the Spirit of God.
What Is the Spirit of This Spirit?
Now here is a question. Jesus says in John 4:24, “Godis spirit.” If God is
spirit, what is his Spirit? What is the Spirit of this spirit being? What does it
mean for a spirit to give his Spirit without measure to his Son?
My answeris that verse 35 points to the answer. “The Fatherloves the Son.”
God, who is spirit, gives the Spirit to his Son without measure—the Father
loves the Son. Why does John follow the giving of the Spirit to the Sonwith
the loving of the Son by the Father?
The Love of God Personified
Could it be that the Spirit of God is the fully divine Third Person of the
Trinity who personifies the love of God? That is, when God, who is spirit,
fully, infinitely, communicates his love to his Son, is this not the giving of the
Holy Spirit without measure? In other words, the Spirit of God (the God who
is spirit) is love. And this love for the Son is so full, and carries so much of the
fullness of the Father, that this love is himself God—the love of God
embodied, as it were, in the SecondPersonof the Trinity.
The Father’s eternal love for the Son carries so much of himself in it that this
love is the fullness of deity in the SecondPersonofthe Trinity. As the Son is
the eternalself-knowing of the Father, the Spirit is the eternal self-loving of
the Father. And this knowing and loving are so full of the Father that they
stand forth from all eternity, without beginning, as fully God—Godthe Son
and God the Spirit. The Son is the fullness of the Father as his perfectimage.
And the Spirit is the fullness of the Father loving this image, the Son.

10. So the secondthing John does in this text is point us to the fact that Jesus, the
Son of God, is infinitely unlike us not only in that he is from God, and we are
from the earth, but also that he is full of God. He has the Spirit without
measure. The Fatherhas given him the Spirit infinitely from all eternity—that
is, he has loved him eternally with all that he is. And all that he is in this love
is the personof the Holy Spirit.
3) Jesus Speaksand Rules As God
Third, Jesus is held up before us not only as coming from God, and full of
God, but also as speaking and ruling as God.
First, he speaks as God. Verse 32:“He bears witness to what he has seenand
heard.” Who is this? He is “the one who comes from above and is above all.”
So what he has seenand heard is what he has seenand heard in heaven, in
God. He is speaking the words of God.
Verse 34: “Forhe whom God has sent utters the words of God.” He is not
speaking them the way I speak them. I am dependent on Jesus to know what
God thinks in heaven. But Jesus is from heaven. He has the Spirit of God
infinitely. He is from God, and full of God, and is God. So when he speaks, he
speaks the words of God. When you hear Jesus, youhear God.
And not only does he speak as God, but he rules as God. Verse 31: “He who
comes from above is above all.” Above all—meaning above them in power and
authority and every other way, except sin.
All Things into His Hand
Verse 35: “The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand.”
All things are given by God into the hand of Jesus. He’s gotthe whole world,
and the itty-bitty baby, and you and me brother in his hand. To have
something in your hand put there by God is to rule it.
So John is lifting up Jesus as the ruler of all things. Paul said, “And he is
before all things, and in him all things hold together” (Colossians1:17).
Hebrews 1:3 says, “He upholds the universe by the word of his power.”

11. So what is John trying to do? Jesus is from Godand is full of God and speaks
and rules as God. And we are from the earth, and we speak from the earth
(verse 31), and apart from him, we rule nothing. The point? As always:to
reveal“his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and
truth.” And to show that we need from his fullness exactly what he is full of—
“grace upon grace” (John1:14, 16).
Eternity Divides at Jesus
So John shows again, as he has more than once, that right here, in the
presence ofthis magnificent Jesus, eternity divides. One person believes, and
puts his sealon Jesus:“Godas true.” Another person disobeys—thatis,
refuses to believe on Jesus—andmakes Goda liar.
Verse 32–33:“He bears witness to what he has seenand heard, yet no one
receives his testimony. Whoeverreceives his testimony sets his sealto this,
that God is true.” “No one receives.”Then, “whoeverreceives.” Whatdo you
make of that?
You Must Be Born Again
It’s what Jesus saidto Nicodemus when he was baffled by the new birth. John
3:11: “We speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but
you do not receive our testimony.” You must be born again. In other words,
John means here in 3:32–33 that no one receives Jesus’testimonyin their
natural condition “from the earth.” They must be born again. But those who
are born again“receive his testimony and settheir sealto this, that God is
true.”
Since Jesus is full of God, to receive Jesus and believe Jesus is to say yes to
God and all his word. There is such a union betweenJesus and God that when
we say yes to Jesus, we put our stamp, our seal, of approval on all that God is
and says.
Sealing God As True or Not

12. The opposite is to make God a liar. 1 John 5:10: “Whoeverbelieves in the Son
of God has the testimony in himself. Whoeverdoes not believe God has made
him a liar.”
And the final effect of sealing Godas true in Jesus and making God as a liar
in Jesus is the difference betweeneternallife and eternalwrath. Verse 36:
“Whoeverbelieves in the Son has eternallife; whoeverdoes not obey the Son
shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”
See His Glory
So I lift him up before you one more time, with the prayer that you will see his
glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth, and
from his glory will receive grace upon grace, and believe in him as from God,
and full of God, and speaking and ruling as God and coming into the world to
die for sinners, and believing in him have eternallife.
Putting our Lives in Jesus’Hands
Postedby Mark and Jill Herringshaw
“The Father loves his Son and has put everything into his hands.” John 3:35
As the Father entrusted Jesus with everything, we are calledto put all that we
are and all that we have into His hands as well. That requires a greatdeal of
trust and the heart to believe. The term “believe” is the greek wordpisteuo
which means to be fully invested in Jesus.

13. Do you believe in Jesus enoughto actually invest yourself, your belongings,
and all that you have in Him? God does. God is a smart investor. Make Him
your advisor, and put your money where your mouth is. Invest everything you
have in Jesus. Perhaps you feel like you don’t have much. Look what He can
do with a couple of loaves and fish! A small boy give him his lunch and he fed
thousands. And He will take whatever you give him and make something
amazing. He is doing that for two brokenbloggers… He will do it for you, too!
We invite you to pray with us…
Jesus,
I believe in you. I am putting my belief into action by placing all that I have
and all that I am into your loving, strong, capable, faithful, competent,
unfailing hands. I give you all that I hold dear.
I give you my family. It is written,
“No weaponturned againstyou will succeed.” (Isaiah54:17)
I trust in you to care for eachone of my family, to lead eachone, to protect
eachone, to teacheachone, and to draw eachone to yourself.
I give you my future. It is written,
“ForI know the plans I have for you. Plans to prosper you and not to harm
you. Plans to give you a hope and a future.” (Jeremiah29:11)
I trust you to lead me day by day into the destiny you have ordained for me
before I was even born. Thank you that the path you are leading me on is one
that will give me joy, for nothing gives me greaterjoy than the life you offer.
I give you my finances. It is written,
“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in
Christ Jesus.”(Philippians 4:19)
I place all my resources into your hands. Be my counselor, advisor, and
provider.
I give you my fears. It is written,

14. “Evenwhen I walk through the darkestvalley, I will not be afraid, for you are
close beside me.” (Psalm 23:4)
I trust you to deliver me from the things that cause me to lose my footing. I
take hold of the faith I have, and I will grow in faith by listening to your Word
and obeying it.
I give you my home, my work, my health, my relationships, my hopes and my
disappointments. All that I am I place in the hands that reachedout to the
ends of the earth to draw all people to your heart of perfect love. I leave all
these things in your safe-keeping and awaityour instruction. I will do as you
say, for I have made you the Lord of my life. Thank God I am not my own
anymore!
In Your Name, Amen.
Readmore at
https://www.beliefnet.com/columnists/prayerplainandsimple/2016/09/putting-
lives-jesus-hands.html#ChQxUk5Xa327yiMc.99
Trusting the Hands of God
John 10:24-30
ReadText:
This text is such a blessing to those who have trusted Christ as Savior. It is one
of the many verses that assure us that once we have placed our faith and trust
in the finished work of Christ, we never have to worry about losing our
salvation!We are safe in the hands of our Saviorand coveredthere by the
very hand of God. Note these terms: "My sheep";"eternallife"; "shallnever
perish"; and "greaterthan all".

15. How fitting that this should be our eternaldisposition. It all began with a
touch from God. He createdthis world and all of us. He also touched us in the
new creation. Since the moment of salvationHe has guided and protected all
who have placedtheir faith in Him. Because ofthis, we can leave our
problems in God's hands. Allstate is known for one thing…they are the good
hands people. But it is infinitely better to be safe in 'God's hands' than to trust
in their 'good hands'.
You might be thinking, 'easiersaid than done, preacher'. Yes, as it is with
most things, it is always easierto talk about what we need to do than it is to
actually do it! But when we find ourselves facing obstacles, we are driven by a
need to do something!My point is this…there is nothing more effective …
nothing more important … than to be in the hands of God. What kind of place
are God's hands?
I. God's Hands are a Place of Majestyand Power!
A. To say that God has hands is to say He can actwith power.
1) In Habakkuk 3:4 - rays flash from His hands.
2) In Isaiah45:12 - His hands spread out the heavens.
3) In Exodus 7:5 - His hands shatteredthe enemy.
B. With that same power, God can meet our needs and take care of us, no
matter what!
C. When we think there is no answer, whenwe think there is no hope, God's
hands will take care of us.
1. Dr. and Mrs. Clinton Hale had a number of children, but one was different.
2. David Hale was born with downs syndrome.
3. The doctors told her to leave him at the hospital…place him in an
institution and let him die...theysaid he wouldn't live more than a year or two.
4. They offered them no hope whatsoever!
5. They chose to trust in the hands of God.

16. 6. Some thirty years later. David is still around and doing quite well.
(Psa 118:8)"It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man."
D. Do we believe God's hands are more powerful than any of our problems?
E. If we don't, we are foolish…Paulassures us that we will have all our needs
met by the hand of God.
(Phil 4:19) "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in
glory by Christ Jesus."
II. God's Hands are a Place of Loving Intervention.
A. God's hands have a powerHe wants to use.
1. Deliverance is the common theme throughout the Psalms.
(Psa 18:16-17)"He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many
waters. {17}He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which
hated me: for they were too strong for me."
2. He rescuedIsraelfrom bondage.
(Exo 13:3) "And Moses saidunto the people, Rememberthis day, in which ye
came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage;for by strength of hand the
LORD brought you out from this place:there shall no leavenedbread be
eaten."
3. He wants to rescue us from the sin that keeps us bound.
4. God's hands are never limited by circumstances.
(Isa 59:1) "Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save;
neither his ear heavy, that it cannothear:"
B. God's hands are tender.
1. Hand of Lord upon someone denotes favor.
2. It was on Ezra before a hostile king.

17. (Ezra 7:6) "This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the
law of Moses,whichthe LORD God of Israelhad given: and the king granted
him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his Godupon him."
(Ezra 7:28b) "…And I was strengthenedas the hand of the LORD my God
was upon me, and I gatheredtogetherout of Israelchief men to go up with
me."
3. God wants to do goodto us, not evil.
C. His hands take the initiative.
1. God stretches his hands out toward us.
2. He not only canrescue, he wants to.
a. We must not dictate how, or when, he does it.
b. God makes the first move.
c. Even when we are not looking for help.
D. Our children cannever go beyond the reach of a loving God.
1. We can trust our loved ones'safetyto a caring God.
2. What if they don't want to be held onto?
3. Like a goodparent, God still doesn'tlet go.
III. God's Hands Are A Place Of Discipline.
A. You don't want God's hand to be "against" you.
(Acts 13:11) "And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou
shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on
him a mist and a darkness;and he went about seeking some to lead him by the
hand."
(Heb 10:31) "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."
1. Troubles can be an indication of God's hand on us.

18. 2. He is shaping us, like a potter shapes clay.
B. Ultimately, God disciplines us to save us.
1. Even Christians need his rebuke at times.
2. But not all trouble is discipline from God.
3. Bad things do happen to good people.
4. But God censors trouble. He puts limits on it.
5. Everything ultimately happens for our good.
IV. God's hands are a place of fulfillment.
A. We often do not experience fulfillment.
1. We fail to actually place our lives and our situations into His hands.
2. When we leave something in God's hands, we have to take ours off.
3. We trust God to do what is best.
B. Acknowledging Godis not shrugging off responsibility.
1. It is acknowledging our helplessnessand dependence on God.
2. Whateverwe commit to God's hands are in safekeeping.
3. He will not fail us…He will not let us down!
There is no better place for us to be than in the hands of God. What is
troubling you this evening? Place it in God's hands. What do you hold
precious and dear? Place it in God's hands. What about your goals and
aspirations? Place them in God's hands…He will not fail us.
http://www.brandonweb.com/sermons/sermonpages/john61.htm
The Old Violin

19. The Touchof the Masters Hand
Apr 30, 2010 @ 12am,
'Twas batteredand scarred,
And the auctioneerthought it
hardly worth his while
To waste his time on the old violin,
but he held it up with a smile.
"What am I bid, good people", he cried,
"Who starts the bidding for me?"
"One dollar, one dollar, Do I hear two?"
"Two dollars, who makes it three?"
"Three dollars once, three dollars twice, going for three,"
But, No,
From the room far back a gray bearded man
Came forward and picked up the bow,
Then wiping the dust from the old violin
And tightening up the strings,
He played a melody, pure and sweet
As sweetas the angel sings.
The music ceasedandthe auctioneer
With a voice that was quiet and low,
Said "What now am I bid for this old violin?"

20. As he held it aloft with its' bow.
"One thousand, one thousand, Do I hear two?"
"Two thousand, Who makes it three?"
"Three thousand once, three thousand twice,
Going and gone", saidhe.
The audience cheered,
But some of them cried,
"We just don't understand."
"What changedits' worth?"
Swift came the reply.
"The Touch of the Masters Hand."
"And many a man with life out of tune
All battered and bruised with hardship
Is auctioned cheapto a thoughtless crowd
Much like that old violin
A mess of pottage, a glass ofwine,
A game and he travels on.
He is going once, he is going twice,
He is going and almostgone.
But the Mastercomes,
And the foolish crowd never canquite understand,
The worth of a soul and the change that is wrought
By the Touch of the Masters'Hand.

21. - Myra Brooks Welch
Leaving Things in God’s Hands
John Belt | October21, 2010
When we take things into our hands we forfeit the blessing of God. We are no
different from the world (which does not know God) opening the door to all
kinds of problems. When we put things in God’s hands we canenter into His
rest, live in His peace, receive His joy and He is able to settle things both
inside us and outside of us. He will make our enemies at peace with us when
our ways are pleasing to Him. (Proverbs. 16:7)
1. Give It To Me
Jeremiah17:5
Thus says the Lord: “Cursedis the man who trusts in man And makes flesh
his strength, Whose heart departs from the Lord.”
Life continually presents opportunities for us to give things over to God. The
more we realize that God is much better at handling things than we are the
better off we will be in every aspectofour lives. When we try to take things
into our hands, we take things out of God’s hands. This will cause us much
trouble, strife and frustration. Many times people wonderwhy God is not
doing anything. Sometimes God is saying, “Why don’t you give it over to me
and let me handle it?” We should never underestimate the powerof our
prayers and our ability to speak life into situations and people. God has given
us the grace to let things go and then speak with His authority into these
things to shift the atmospheres surrounding the circumstances.
2. Release& Be Blessed

22. When we take things into our own hands we miss out on God coming through
for us. In this we forsake His blessing and the testimony that comes from His
powerchanging things. Cursedis the man who trusts in man and makes the
flesh his strength, whose heart departs from the Lord. Taking things into our
hands only brings a curse. Nobodyin their right mind wants that. It is
amazing how simple it is to give things over to God. It is just a matter of
releasing. One thing that will help us to surrender these things is the reality of
His presence. Ifwe canjust enter in to the place of worship and geta grasp
on the greatness ofGod, His power, His all-sufficiency, then it will make it
much easierfor us.
3. A Different Kind of People
When we take things into our own hands it also makes us no different from
people in the world who do not know God. Think of it. If we decide to do
things ourselves then we are operating in that cursed systemof thinking.
Christ came, died and was resurrectedto bless us in the heavenly realms with
Him. When we take control we take our seatin the earth rather than in the
heavenly places with Him. Jesus Christ in us makes the difference. It is Jesus
seatedin us and us seatedwith Him in the heavenlies. Christ in us, the hope
of glory. Jesus told Martha, “If you believe you will see the glory of God.”
When we believe, we trust Him enoughto put things in His control. His glory
is working in us and is ready to be releasedthrough us.
4. RestIn the Boat
Putting things in God’s hands, our own lives, other people, situations and
whateverelse, we can enter into His rest. We can rest in the boat with Jesus
relaxing in His love. He settles things both inside our hearts and brings quiet
to the outside trials. Count it all joy when you enter into various trials. Our
faith is made pure as gold in these times. It is how we respond that makes the
difference. When we lean on Him He causes everything to work for our good
and to His glory. Choose not to be earthbound, but rather be caught up in the
reality of heaven’s realm where the revelation of His powerand provision is
released. His promises never fail.

23. How Do We Put Things in His Hands?
1. By Not Leaning on Our Understanding (Prov. 3:5)
2. Casting Our Cares Upon Him (1 Pet. 5:7)
3. Interceding for others & for God to change things (2 Tim. 1:3)
4. Spend time with God beholding Him through worship, (Rev. 1:10)
5. Asking for His wisdomon how to deal with life situations. If there is
something we are to do outside of prayer He will show us when we ask Him.
(James 1:5)
https://www.beltministries.com/leaving-things-gods-hands/
Bob Carlisle - In the Hands of Jesus Lyrics
Artist: BobCarlisle
Album: WOW 1999
Heyo! SONGLYRICS just got interactive. Highlight. Review:RIFF-it.
RIFF-it good.
Play "In the Hands of Jes…"
on Amazon Music
What does tomorrow hold
Nobody really knows

24. The future is never ours to see
So much uncertainty
Still we keepholding on to
Yesterday, when yesterday is gone
But even in the darkestnight, we're safe inside His love
And that's where we still stay
Chorus
In the hands of Jesus, we remain until we're home
Standing together, come what may
For we know that we will not be moved
We will remain in Jesus'hands
Just let your fear subside
Here it is safe inside
And though every storm is hard to see
We are bound by unity
For even as we struggle in our battle,
We know the victory is won
And no power on this earth can ever separate us now
We're in the hands of God

25. Chorus
Bridge
We will remain
In the hands of our Savior
We will remain
Even in our weakesthour
The powerthat strengthens us will never die
It will stand the testof time
Throughout all time
Chorus
The Hand of God
May the new day bring you blessings
As the light comes filtering through
May your sunrise be as lovely
As a morning draped in dew.
May the wind blow forth a promise

26. Sending sweetbouquets your way
May life seema little brighter
As you rise to greetthe day.
May the daybreak render pleasure
As the birds begin to sing
May the distant roll of thunder
Bring forth a touch a spring.
May the mist embrace the silence
Like a firefly in the night
May an angel walk beside you
To hold you in the light.
May the rain caress you body
And life drops flood your soul
May His Spirit come upon you
To cleanse and make you whole.
May the showers come so softly
Running gently through your hair
May you touch the living water
And know that He is there.

27. May the freshness bring you new life
Pushing through the tender sod
May you pause to pick a flower
And touch the hand of God.
Author/Written By:
Marilyn Ferguson
©2001
SECURITYIN THE HANDS OF GOD AND OF JESUS.
John 10:24-30 24The Jewswho were there gatheredaround him, saying,
"How long will you keepus in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tellus
plainly." 25Jesus answered, "Idid tell you, but you do not believe. The works
I do in my Father's name testify about me, 26but you do not believe because
you are not my sheep. 27My sheeplisten to my voice;I know them, and they
follow me. 28Igive them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will
snatch them out of my hand. 29MyFather, who has given them to me, is
greaterthan all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. 30I and the
Father are one."
Safe in the arms of Jesus,

28. Safe on His gentle breast,
There by His love o’ershaded,
Sweetlymy soul doth rest.
Hark! ’tis a song of heaven
Borne in the sweetestvoice,
Echoedby saints in spirit,
Making my heart rejoice.
Safe in the arms of Jesus,
Safe on His gentle breast,
There by His love o’ershaded,
Sweetlymy soul doth rest.
2
Safe in the arms of Jesus,
Safe from corroding care,
Safe from the world’s temptations,
Sin cannot harm me there.
Free from the blight of sorrow,
Free from my doubts and fears;
Only a few more trials,
Only a few more tears.
3
Jesus, my heart’s dear Refuge,

29. Jesus has died for me;
Firm on the Rock ofAges
Ever my trust shall be.
Here let me wait with patience,
Wait till the night is o’er,
Wait till I see the morning
Break on the goldenshore.
https://www.hymnal.net/en/hymn/h/679
Secure in the Hands of the GoodShepherd
“Secure in the Hands of the GoodShepherd” (John 10:22-30)
Fourth Sunday of Easter(GoodShepherd Sunday) (May 12, 2019)
Do you feel secure in your life? Do you feel safe? Do you have confidence that
things will always go well for you? Will you sleepwell tonight secure in the
fact that everything in your life will be just fine tomorrow?
Chances are many of you are not too secure about much of anything. Life in
this world is anything but secure. Everyyear, every week, everyday, we are
greetedwith any number of unpleasantsurprises, unexpected tragedies, or
painful heartaches, thatall seek to destroythe stability and peace ofour lives.
The list of things that make our lives insecure goes onand on: … a volatile
stock market… escalating prices at the gas pump …our leaders leading our
nation deeperand deeper into debt, much of which is owned by Communist

30. China… the flood of illegalimmigrants… soaring crime rates …threats of
terrorism… grave health concerns.
At the heart of all our insecurity is the fearof death. Deathlike taxes is
certain for every sinner! Even the Bible assures us of that. It says, “The
wages ofsin is death.” And again, “All die because all sin.”
It has often been statedthat there are no atheists in a foxhole. That may be
true enough. After all, when death is so close you can see it hovering
overhead, you canbet that even the most ardent atheist is hoping at that
moment that God does exist and that He will mercifully act to save him from
death or give him life beyond death. In fact, the need to have some certainty
that there is life beyond the grave has given rise to a belief in people the world
over that there is some sort of happy place that everyone goes to when they
die… a happy hunting ground… a paradise… a nirvana. But how can some
desperate hope of the human spirit or the fanciful dreams of the human heart
really make anyone truly secure?
Security in the face of peril, death, or even our fate in eternity can be found
nowhere else save in the promises of Jesus, The GoodShepherd, God in
human flesh. Among those promises is this one: “My sheeplisten to my
voice;I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they
shall never perish; no one can snatchthem out of my hand. My Father, who
has given them to me, is greaterthan all; no one can snatchthem out of my
Father’s hand. I and the Fatherare one.”
When you think about it, sheep are pretty helpless animals. They have many
enemies and little if any means to protect themselves. They’re not at all
camouflaged. Theirwhite woolcauses them to stick out like a sore thumb.
They have no claws orfangs to fight off attackers. Theydon’t even have a

31. keenmind to outsmart their enemies. In fact, they are easily fooledby the
ploys of that wolf or coyote, who seeks to make a meal out of them. They have
even been known to lead one another into danger! Without a fearless and
faithful shepherd to guide them and protectthem they are as goodas dead in
the wild.
It is not hard to figure out, then, why The Lord used sheep as a metaphor for
us human beings. Talk about helpless and waywardcreatures! We are at the
bottom of the foodchain when it comes to self-sufficiency. Unlike the animal
kingdom, it takes us two to three years just to learn how to toilet train and
feed ourselves. It takes us even longer than that to dress ourselves. Whenit
comes to knowing what is right from wrong, which end is up, who our real
enemies are, or where to find true life, we can live our whole life and still not
know! We need help. We need a Shepherd to lead, feed and protectus!
Jesus has promised that He is that Shepherd. He says He keeps us in His
hands! Can we find true security in His hands?
For many years the Allstate Insurance Company boastedthis claim: “You
are in goodhands with Allstate.” How well they were able to make goodon
their promise could no doubt be determined by polling their customers to see
what kind of experience they had when they submitted their claims.
But the fact is the whole conceptof owning an insurance policy is a misnomer
anyway. Insurance companies really don’t insure anything. No amount of
auto insurance will secure that your car will remain safe from hail, theft, or
an accident. No home insurance policy protects your home from burning to

32. the ground or being washedawayin a flood. There is no life insurance policy
that can keepyou alive! Insurance companies are in reality nothing but
compensationcompanies. All they can do is to compensate youfor the loss
you may have suffered. They can give you no assurance thatyou will not
suffer loss. They cannot make you truly secure!
Jesus, onthe other hand, doesn’t compensate us in our loss. He secures us
even in our loss. His promise to His sheep; that is, those who believe in Him as
their God and Savior, is that “I will give you eternal life and no one will
snatch you out of my hand.” That’s assurance! The apostle Paul words this
promise of Jesus in a more concrete and explicit way, “Who shall separate us
from the love of Christ? Shalltrouble or hardship or persecutionor famine
or nakedness ordanger or sword?… No, in all these things we are more than
conquerors through him who loved us. ForI am convincedthat neither death
nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither, the present nor the future, nor
any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be
able to separate us form the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
How can Jesus make goodon these bold claims when no one or nothing else
can? How canHis promises make us secure evenin the face of death, even
secure that we will not somehow fall out of His hands through our own
weaknessesand fears?
Jesus makes goodonHis promise to you because His hands are not simply the
hands of some mere mortal who sympathizes with you and loves you. Jesus’
hands are the hands of your Creatorand the One who makes it His business
to preserve you. His hands are the hands of God the FatherAlmighty,
because as Jesus says,He and the Fatherare one. There is no more secure
place than to be in the hands of the omnipotent and merciful God, who calls
Himself your Father!

33. On top of this, Jesus’hands bear the scars of a faithful shepherd who willingly
laid down his ownlife for His sheep. When He saw your enemies; the devil,
the world, and even your own sinful nature, sneak up to devour you, He didn’t
run awaylike some hired hand, who doesn’tcare about the sheep. Instead,
He put Himself right into the line of fire. He let the fangs of your enemies rip
and tear His flesh in your place. His shepherd’s staffis His cross. His death
became the atoning sacrifice for your sins, freeing you from eternal
condemnation. By His wounds you are healed. He even broke death’s back
by raising Himself from the dead. Now, all you who believe in Jesus as your
Savior will also be raised even from death. Death, not even hell, cannow
snatch you out of Jesus’hand. Your eternal life is secure in Jesus. You have
real security, knowing that you are in the hands of someone who is willing to
give His all for you.
Part of being secure is the assurancethat you are known. Have you lived
somewhere orbeen somewhere where no one knew your name? You were
just a nameless face in the crowd. In such circumstances it is very easyto feel
isolatedeven in a sea of humanity. There is no one to talk to, share your joys
or sorrows with… no one to help you when you have need. Such loneliness
only heightens the insecurities you alreadyfeel.
Here, then, is more goodnews in having Jesus as your Shepherd. No matter
where you live now or in the future: on a college campus somewhere a long
way awayfrom home or in a new or strange place that now is to be your
home… no matter what your circumstances in life, Jesus says, “Iknow my
sheep.” You are not nameless or faceless to Jesus! The Sonof Godcame all
the wayfrom heaven to shepherd you. He intimately connectedHimself to
you by becoming flesh of your flesh in the womb of Mary. He not only knows
you by name, He has, through Holy Baptism, put His name on you! More
important than you knowing the identity of the true Shepherd is that The
GoodShepherd knows eachofyou! His intimate knowledge ofyou saves you
and is your real security!

34. Finally, to be in Jesus’hands means true security because no one gets into
Jesus’hands by their own merits or decisions. Theyonly getthere because
God the Father has in His grace placedthem there. Jesus saidof the sheepin
His hand, “The Fathergave them to me.” All who are in Jesus’hands have
been placed there as a gift from God. No one becomes a believer in Jesus
Christ by his/her ownefforts or by making some decisionfor Jesus. As the
Word of the Lord assures us, “No one can say that Jesus Christ is Lord
exceptby the Holy Spirit (I Cor. 12:3). Everyone of us must be given rebirth
by water and the Spirit (John 3:5) We must be born of God (John 1:13).
God graciouslyworks faith in us through the Gospelproclaimed to us (Rom.
10:17)and Holy Baptism administered to us, placing us into the hands of
Jesus.
This is the security of the believer in Jesus:to know that your faith is God’s
gift and doing. For then you don’t have to worry about whether your decision
for Jesus was genuine or not. It wasn’tyours to begin with. As Holy
Scripture assures you, the fact that you have faith is God’s sealthat the Holy
Spirit has been and is working in you (Eph. 1:13). Neitherdo you, believer in
Christ Jesus, have to worry whether or not your faith will survive every trial
and tempest. After all, if God gave you faith, He will always be faithful to use
all things to strengthen you in that faith. Again the apostle Paul writes: “He
who beganthis goodwork in you will bring it to completionof the day of
Jesus Christ (Phil. 1:6). God will insure that your faith will not fail even in
the face of death. Godwill not let anyone snatchHis sheepout of the life-
giving Shepherd’s hand!
Accordingly, the song of those in the Jesus’hands is this, “The LORD’s my
shepherd I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. He
leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul. He leadeth me in the

35. paths of righteousness for His name sake. Yea, eventhough I walk through
the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me, Thy
rod and Thy staff, they comfort me. Thou preparesta table before me in the
presence ofmy enemies. Thouanointest my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely goodnessand mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall
dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”
May these words of Psalm23 also be the song of the security of your hearts
for He who was crucified for you is risen. He has foiled all the plots of your
enemies. You shall never want of any goodthing! You cansleepsecurely
tonight and always! Amen.
Postedon May 13, 2019 10:56 AM by Howard Schreibeis
You Are the Hands of Jesus
Loving the Unborn, Unloved, and Neglected
Article by Trillia Newbell
GuestContributor
What’s calling for your attention? What’s demanding to be done and
requiring your energy and focus?
We have emails to be answered, phone calls that need to be made, church
events to plan, church functions to attend, dinner that must be made,
groceries to grabin order to make the dinner, children to encourage,a spouse

36. to love, and so on and so forth. But with all of these various goodthings
pulling for our attention every day, it can be easyto forgetabout those who
need care.
Throughout Scripture, we see God’s care for those in need, and it is also
reflectedin his character. As his redeemedimage-bearers, Godhas given
Christians a callto care as well.
It can seemmore reverent to wonder at the majesty and holiness of God. God
is worthy of all of our awe, and it is goodto fear the Lord. But have you ever
given much thought to how intimate God’s love and care is for people? And I
don’t mean his care through salvation. We know that his ultimate display of
love is through his sacrifice of his unique Son, Jesus. There’s no doubt about
that. But as I read the beginning of Psalm68, I’m reminded of one of God’s
attributes: God is love.
God of Wonders
We geta glimpse of his holiness in the first two verses of Psalm68, “Godshall
arise, his enemies shall be scattered;and those who hate him shall flee before
him! As smoke is driven away, so you shall drive them away;as wax melts
before fire, so the wickedshallperish before God!” (Psalm68:1–2).
There is no one like our God, and no enemy could everovertake him. Even
those who hate him will flee and be driven away. The Lord our God is indeed
a consuming fire (Deuteronomy 4:24; Hebrews 12:29), but the righteous will
be glad and exult before God. The righteous have nothing to fear(as in
fearing his wrath) and are jubilant with joy (Psalm68:3).
But I love how the Psalmturns from this view of God’s awesomenessto his
deeply personallove for the weak and hurting. “Fatherof the fatherless and
protectorof widows is Godin his holy habitation. God settles the solitary in a
home; he leads out the prisoners to prosperity, but the rebellious dwell in a
parched land” (Psalm 68:5-6).
Father of the Fatherless

37. God is a father to the fatherless. Orphans — abandoned or through death —
can imagine their heavenly Father walking with them through life’s confusing
and difficult circumstances as a father would. For the child like me who lost
her father to illness, we can have conversationwith our heavenly Father —
those intimate ones that we would have had with our dads, knowing that our
Father knows more and loves far more abundantly than our earthly father
ever could.
Our practicallove for those in need reflects the Father’s heart and is part of
how we image our CreatorGod.
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God is also a protectorof the widow. The God-given role of the husband-
protectoris replaced for the widow by the one who cantruly and fully protect.
How kind of God to express protection to a scaredand likely confused
woman. The solitary and lonely are given a home: Godhimself. He cares even
for prisoners, leading them from a destitute place to prosperity.
Before we sing in this Psalmabout God’s love and care for those who are
helpless, we are prompted, “Sing to God, sing praises to his name; lift up a
song to him who rides through the deserts;his name is the Lord; exult before
him!” (Psalm 68:4). Why? Because Godis truly an awesome God!He looks at
the weak and sees us in our need, extends his mighty hand, and pours out his
loving kindness on us. Knowing that we have the joy and honor as God’s
image bearers to reflect aspects ofhim, I’m also reminded through this Psalm
to pursue this type of love.
Pure and Undefiled Pursuit of God

38. There are severalcalls to care for those in need in the Scriptures, but perhaps
the most recognizable comes fromJames. “Religionthat is pure and undefiled
before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction,
and to keeponeselfunstained from the world” (James 1:27).
If we want to be doers of the word and not simply hearers, we’d do well to
heed these words from James and our heavenly Father. There is a clear
Christian call to care for and show mercy to others, specificallyin this case to
the orphan and widow. Our practicallove for those in need reflects the
Father’s heart and is part of how we image our CreatorGod. So, what are we
to do with this challenge from James? Here are a few simple suggestions:
Pray: Ask the Lord to comfort those who are afflicted. God is a very present
help in time of need — let’s pray that those who are wearysense his presence.
Pray for the orphan to find a family.
Researchand Investigate:Find out who in your church or neighborhood
might need this type of compassionatecare. Investigate yourchurch ministries
to see where you might get involved. Learn about area resources like crisis
pregnancy centers.
Act: Serve a meal. Learn about fostercare or adoption. Serve those who are
caring for others, like adoptive and fosterparents. Visit the sick or “solitary,”
like our elderly brothers and sisters in retirement homes. Invite a widow into
your home for a meal.
And in all of it, remember the gospel, that as we seek to serve others, we must
not do so in order to feel morally right, satisfied, or acceptable before God
and man. Let the gospelofgrace motivate you to love your neighbor. Be free
in your service knowing that it doesn’t earn you anything before our Father.
It is by grace that you have been saved, by faith, and this is not your own
doing but a gift of God (Ephesians 2:8–9).
Seek to cultivate and express a heart of love for others, not as a means to show
your righteousness, but as a way to be the hands and feet of Jesus to a dying
world.

39. Trillia Newbellis editor of Women on Life: A Call to Love the Unborn,
Unloved, and Neglected, featuring chapters by Newbell, Kristie Anyabwile,
Christina Fox, Courtney Reissig, BetsyChilds Howard, and others.
7 Keys To Release The PowerIn Your Hands
Written by Harold Herring. .
Share
448
Hold your hands up. . .what do you see?
Something to coveryour mouth when you yawn. . .something to eat with. .
.something to comb your hair with. . .something to help you work . .
.something to help you play.
When God looks at your hands, He sees unlimited potential for blessings,
miracles, and prosperity. We already have that authority as believers!
John 3:35 says:
“The Father loved the sonand placedeverything in his hands.”
When the soldiers came to take Jesus captive in the Garden of Gethsemane,
the first thing they did was to bind his hands. Why?
. . .those hands had made mud, placedit on the eyes of a blind man that
allowedhim to see instantly.
. . .those hands took the five loaves and two fishes from a young man and fed
thousands of people.
. . .those hands had been laid upon a greathost of people who found His
healing touch brought instant relief to their sick and suffering bodies.

40. . . .those hands stopped a funeral procession. . .touched the body of a young
boy and gave his mother greatjoy and him a new life.
. . .those hands had resurrectionpower -- but so do yours.
John 14:12 says:
“He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also;and greater
works than these shall he do; because Igo unto my Father.”
In 2 Timothy 1:6 in the Amplified Bible we are encouragedto “. . .fan the
flame of God through the laying on of hands.”
“Thatis why I would remind you to stir up (rekindle the embers of, fan the
flame of, and keepburning) the [gracious]gift of God, [the inner fire] that is
in you by means of the laying on of my hands [with those of the elders at your
ordination].”
God listed very specificallyin His Word how we are to use our hands to save
the lost, heal the sick, deliver the oppressedand finance the end-time harvest.
But it starts with eachof us. . .realizing the powerthat He placedin our
hands. . .
1 Timothy 4:14 in the Amplified Bible. . .Paulsays:
“Do not neglectthe spiritual gift within you, [that specialendowment] which
was intentionally bestowedon you [by the Holy Spirit] through prophetic
utterance when the elders laid their hands on you [at your ordination].”
The gifts are given by the laying on of hands through divine direction.
Romans 11:29 in the Amplified Bible says:
“ForGod’s gifts and His callare irrevocable. [He never withdraws them when
once they are given, and He does not change His mind about those to whom
He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call.]”
The “. . .gifts and calling of God are without repentance.”

41. As a born-again believer, the gifts are yours. . .but they need to be stirred up.
It’s time for you to move outside your comfort zone.
You are given wisdom through the laying on of hands.
Deuteronomy 34:9 in the Amplified Bible says:
“Now Joshua the sonof Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom, for Moses
had laid his hands on him; so the sons of Israellistened to him and did as the
Lord commanded Moses.”
What God did for Joshua, He will do for you because He is no respecterof
persons.
The scripture also makes a powerful point in Proverbs 3:27 which in the
MessageBible says:
“Neverwalk awayfrom someone who deserves help; your hand is God’s hand
for that person.”
Here are sevenkeys to releasing the powerwithin your hands.
Step # 1—There is something specialabout your hands.
Once again, hold both your hands straightout in front of you with your
knuckles turned toward your face. . .now turn your hands over. . .so you are
looking at the palms of your hands.
I want you to look carefully at your hands. . .they represent much more than
skin and bones. Theymay reveal your age or the things you’ve gone through.
Your hands may be may calloused, rough, smooth, or even dirty. . .but God
wants you to understand there’s something very special aboutyour hands.
Deuteronomy 16:15 in the Amplified Bible says:
“Sevendays you shall celebrate a feastto the Lord your God in the place
which the Lord chooses, becausethe Lord your God will bless you in all your
produce and in all the work of your hands, so that you will be altogether
joyful.”

42. Step # 2—Your sevenday assignment.
For the next sevendays. . .before you go to bed at night. . .write down at least
sevenways in which God has blessedyou during the day. You can write
more. . .but at leastwrite seven.
Once the list is complete. . .go back over it. . .thanking God for what He’s
doing in your life.
Eachmorning when you wake up. . .pick up your list and begin praising God
for what He did in your life yesterday. . .as you lay before Him your
expectations before the day.
Psalm5:3 in the New International Version says:
“In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests
before you and wait in expectation."
During breaks at work or your lunch meal. . .review your list and Praise God
for His loving kindness.
Keep your list for the next sevendays in a place where you can easilyretrieve
them in the days, weeksand months ahead.
Step # 3—Please joinme in this powerprayer of agreement.
“Heavenly Father, in the strong name of Jesus, I ask that right now you help
every person hearing our voices to take captive every thought and any high
thing that would exalt itself above the knowledge ofYou. I bind every
distraction, in the name of Jesus.
“Father, I ask that every blinder come off and every shackle ofreligious
tradition fall down as those hearing our voice begin to see their hands the way
you see them. We rejoice Father because ourhands are an extensionof Your
hands. When we extend our hand, Jesus extends His. Thank you for letting
us see this in our spirits. In Jesus name. Amen.”
Once again, I want you to place your hands out in front of you with your
knuckles towardyour face. . .now turn your palms to your face. Repeatthis
procedure two more times.

43. God has given us two distinctive ways of ministering the gospelto people.
The first is with our “voice.” We canspeak forth the Word of God which can
change a person’s life FOREVER.
We canspeak to those things that are not as though they were according to
Romans 4:17 in the Classic Amplified Bible which says:
“As it is written, I have made you the father of many nations. [He was
appointed our father] in the sight of God in Whom he believed, Who gives life
to the dead and speaks ofthe nonexistent things that [He has foretold and
promised] as if they [already] existed.”
You and I know there is life and death in the powerof the tongue.
Proverbs 18:21 in the Classic Amplified Bible says:
“Deathand life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it and
indulge it will eatits fruit and bear the consequences oftheir words.”
We also know that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
Matthew 12:34 in the Classic Amplified Bible says:
“You offspring of vipers! How can you speak goodthings when you are evil
(wicked)? Forout of the fullness (the overflow, the [a]superabundance)of the
heart the mouth speak.”
The other way to minister to people leads us to the next step.
Step # 4—Releasethe power in your hands.
God wants us to clearlyunderstand and visualize how we cantouch people’s
lives through our hands. The scriptures are filled with miracles which were
performed simply through the laying on of hands as a point of contact.
In a quick review. . .I found 39 referencesto the laying on of hands. Here are
sevencategoriesforthe laying on of hands.
First, the Holy Spirit is conveyedby the laying on of hands.
Acts 19:6 in the Classic Amplified Bible says:

44. “And as Paul laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them; and
they spoke in [foreign, unknown] tongues (languages)andprophesied.”
Second, miracles of physical heading through the laying on of hands.
Scripture reveals 15 verses where Jesus laid hands on the sick or speaks ofthe
powergiven to the saints for healing the sick. When Jesus laid hands on the
sick ALL were healed. The Word of God indicates we cando the same. Here
are three scriptures that coverwhat Jesus did and the powerHe left for the
saints.
Mark 16:17-18 in the King James Version says:
“And these signs will follow them that believe;In my name shall they castout
devils; they shall speak with new tongues;They shall take up serpents; and if
they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the
sick, and they shall recover.”
Luke 13:11-13 in the King James Version says:
“And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen
years, and was bowedtogether, and could in no ways lift herself. And when
Jesus saw her, he calledher to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art
loosedfrom thine infirmity. And he laid his hands on her: and immediately
she was made straight, and glorified God.”
Acts 28:8-9 in the King James Version says:
“And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a
bloody flux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him,
and healedhim. So when this was done, others also, which had diseasesin the
island, came, and were healed:”
Third, spiritual deliverance came through the laying on of hands.
Luke 4:40-41 in the King James Versionsays:
“Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with diverse
diseasesbrought them unto him; and he [Jesus]laid his hands on every one of
them, and healedthem. And devils also came out of many, crying out, and

45. saying, Thou art Christ the Son of God. And he, rebuking them suffered them
not to speak:for they knew that he was Christ.”
Fourth, the laying on of hands was also used to convey a spiritual blessing.
Matthew 19:13-15 in the King James Version says:
“Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his
hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said,
Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the
kingdom of heaven.”
Fifth, the laying on of hands was used to conveythe spiritual authority for
leadership.
1Timothy 4:14 in the Classic Amplified Bible says:
“Do not neglectthe gift which is in you, [that specialinward endowment]
which was directly imparted to you [by the Holy Spirit] by prophetic
utterance when the elders laid their hands upon you [at your ordination].”
Six, the laying on of hands stirs up the gifting that’s within you.
2 Timothy 1:6 in the Classic Amplified Bible says:
“Thatis why I would remind you to stir up (rekindle the embers of, fan the
flame of, and keepburning) the [gracious]gift of God, [the inner fire] that is
in you by means of the laying on of my hands.”
Seventh, signs and wonders are conveyed by the laying on of hands.
Acts14:3 in the King James Versionsays:
“Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave
testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be
done by their hands.”
God listed very specificallyin His Word how we are to use our hands to save
the lost, heal the sick, deliver the oppressed, to convey strength, to convey the
gifts of the spirit, to convey the Holy Spirit and finance the end-time harvest.

46. But it starts with you. . .realizing the power that is in your hands. . .
When we are obedient to God. . .He will bless all the work of our hands with
every benefit bestowedupon us by His Son.
Your hands are desirable to God because you“remember the Lord thy God:
for it is he that giveth thee power to getwealth, that he may establishhis
covenant. . .” (Deuteronomy 8:18).
Step # 5—Look atyour hands and saythe following words out loud.
”These hands have the powerto get wealth.”
“These hands have the powerto heal the sick.”
“These hands have the powerto set the captives free.”
Don’t ever doubt it.
God’s desire is to send salvation, healing, deliverance and the powerto get
wealth through our hands. But we must be willing and obedient.
God wants to use your hands. When you move in obedience to His perfect
plan, then you are positioning yourself for a breakthrough miracle in your
life.
Once again, Deuteronomy 16:15 says:
“The Lord. . .shall bless thee in all thine increase, andin all the works of thine
hands.”
Have you noticed that “works ofthine hands” appears in most of these
scriptures? It’s the works ofthe hand . . .the power. . .that God releasesinto
your hands.
Look at your hands. . .and speak the Word over them. . .manifesting what the
Word of God says you can do.
Step # 6—Don’ttalk about the laying on of hands. . .DO IT!!
Exodus 14:15 in the King James Versionsays:

47. “Then the LORD said to Moses,“Whyare you crying out to me? Tell the
Israelites to move on. Raise your staff and stretchout your hand over the sea
to divide the water so that the Israelites cango through the sea on dry
ground.”
As Israel was standing at the foot of the Red Sea with the enemy closing in
fast, Moses criedout to God.
God then says to Moses “Whyare you standing there looking to me? I have
told you, everything you need is in your hand.
Go forward; stop standing around – getbusy. God told Moses, raise your
arm, take what is in your hand and stretchit out in front of you.
I personally like The Living Bible version of Exodus 14:15 which says:
“Then the Lord said to Moses, “Quitpraying and get the people moving!
Forward, march!”
Too many times. . .we talk about what we’re going to do. . .complain about
what we have to do. . .yet. . .never do anything at all.
We have in our hands God’s mighty Word with every promise, every
instruction, every commandment, and stories of redemption that we can
believe in and stand on.
God wants eachof us moving forth through and with the power of the Holy
Spirit.
So take what you have in your hand, His Word, God’s promise, the powerof
the Bloodinfused with the Holy Spirit and stretch it out in the direction you
need to move in your life. Let Godbe God, and He will part the Red Sea in
your life.
Sometimes stretching out and believing in what God has placedin your hand
will lead you where you have never been before. You will not be walking in
someone else’s footprints;you will be making your own.

48. You may be leaving footprints where they may have never been seenbefore in
new path blazing through the obstacle that is in front of you, as God destroys
the enemy that is behind you. So go aheadand move forward.
Everything you need is in your own hand; God has supplied you with all you
need. So stretch out, your destiny is in your hand!
One last scripture. . .
1 Chronicles 29:12 in the New Living Translationsays:
“Wealthand honor come from you alone, for you rule over everything. Power
and might are in your hand, and at your discretionpeople are made greatand
given strength.”
Step # 7—Neverdoubt the resurrectionpower of God flowing through your
hands.
I was ready to write this seventh point. . .when the Lord directed me to stop.
He said “if my children do what the word tells them to do. . .they will never
doubt the resurrectionpower of God flowing through their hands.”
Once again, Deuteronomy 16:15 in the King James Bible says:
“The Lord. . .shall bless thee in all thine increase, andin all the works of thine
hands.”
Personalize this verse and make it real in your life:
“The Lord. . .shall bless <<Your Name>> in all <<his/her>> increase, andin
all the works of <<his/her>> hands.”
https://haroldherring.com/blogs/harolds-blogs/richthoughts/1422-7-keys-to-
release-the-power-in-your-hands
The Lad's Loaves in the Lord's Hands

49. August 9th, 1891
by
C. H. SPURGEON
(1834-1892)
"Jesus took the loaves."—John6:11.
Look, there are the people! Five thousand of them, as hungry as hunters, and
they all need to have food given to them, for they cannot any of them travel to
buy it! And here is the provision! Five thin wafers—andthose of barley, more
fit for horses than for men—and two little anchovies, by way of a relish! Five
thousand people and five little biscuits wherewith to feed them! The
disproportion is enormous: if eachone should have only the tiniest crumb,
there would not be sufficient. In like manner, there are millions of people in
London, and only a handful of whole-heartedChristians earnestlydesiring to
see the city convertedto Christ; there are more than a thousand millions of
men in this round world, and oh, so few missionaries breaking to them the
bread of life; almost as few for the millions, as were these five barley cakes for
those five thousand! The problem is a very difficult one. The contrastbetween
the supply and the demand would have struck us much more vividly if we had
been there, in that crowdat Bethsaida, than it does sitting here, nearly
nineteen hundred years afterwards, and merely hearing about it. But the Lord
Jesus was equalto the emergency:none of the people went away without
sharing in his bounty; they were all filled. Our blessed Master, now that he
has ascendedinto the heavens, has more rather than less power; he is not
baffled because ofour lack, but caneven now use paltry means to accomplish
his ownglorious purposes; therefore let no man's heart fail him. Do not
despair of the evangelizationof London, nor think it hopeless that the gospel
should be preachedin all nations for a testimony unto them. Have faith in
God, who is in Christ Jesus;have faith in the compassionofthe Great

50. Mediator: he will not desert the people in their spiritual need, any more than
he failed that hungry throng, in their temporal need, long ago.
We will now look at these biscuits and sardines, which seemto be truly an
insufficient stock-in-trade to begin with, a very small capitalindeed on which
to conduct the business of feeding five thousand persons. I shall say of these
loaves and fishes, first, that they had a previous history before being
mentioned in our text; secondly, when we get to our text, we shall find these
little things in a very grand position—"Jesus took the loaves";and therefore,
thirdly, they will trace have an after-history which is well worthy of being
noted. When things getinto Christ's hands, they are in the very focus of
miracles.
I. We will begin by saying that THESE LOAVES AND FISHES HAD A
PREVIOUS HISTORY. Andrew saidto Jesus, "There is a lad here, which
hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes."
Notice, first, then, the providence of God in bringing the lad there. We do not
know his name; we are not told anything concerning his parentage. Was he a
little pedlar, who thought that he could make some money by selling a few
loaves and fishes, and had he nearly soldout? Or was he a boy that the
apostles had employed to carry this slender provision for the use of Jesus and
his friends? We do not know much about him; but he was the right boy in the
right place that day. Be his name what it might, it did not matter; he had the
barley loaves and fishes upon which the people were to be fed. Christ never is
in need but he has somebody at hand to supply that need. Have faith in the
providence of God. What made the boy bring the loaves and fishes, I do not
know. Boys often do unaccountable things; but bring the loaves and fishes he
did; and God, who understands the ideas and motives of lads, and takes
accounteven of barley loaves and fishes, had appointed that boy to be there.
Again I say, believe in the providence of God. Mr. Stanley tells us that, when

51. he came out of that long journey of his through the forest, I think after a
hundred and sixty days of walking in darkness, and found himself at last
where he could see the sun, he felt that there was a specialprovidence of God
that had takencare of him. I am very glad that Mr. Stanley felt that it was the
hand of God that had brought him out of the noisome shade; but I do not need
to go to Africa to learn that we are besetbehind and before by his goodness.
Many of us have felt a specialprovidence of God in our own bed-chambers;
we have met with his hand in connectionwith our own children. Yea, every
day we are surrounded by tokens of his care. "Whosois wise, and will observe
these things, even they shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord." "I
am sure God took care of me," said one; "for as I was going along a certain
street, I slipped on a piece of orange-peel, and had what might have been a
serious fall; yet I was not hurt in the least." To which his friend replied, "I am
sure God has taken care of me; for I have walkedalong that streethundreds
of times, and have never slipped on a piece of orange-peel, oron anything
else." Full often God draws near to us in common life.
"He comes to us all unaware,
And makes us own his loving care."
Let us also believe in his providence with regard to the church of Christ: he
will never deserthis people; he will find men when he wants them. Thus it has
ever been in the history of the saints, and thus it shall ever be. Before the
Reformationthere were many learned men who knew something of Christ's
gospel;but they said that it was a pity to make a noise, and so they communed
with one another and with Christ very quietly. What was wanted was some
rough bull-headed follow who would blurt the gospelout, and upset the old
state of things. Where could he be found? There was a monk named Luther,
who, while he was reading his Bible, suddenly stumbled on the doctrine of
justification by faith; he was the man: yet when he went to a dear brother in

52. the Lord, and told him how he felt, his friend said to him, "Go back to thy
cell, and pray and commune with God, and hold thy tongue." But then, you
see, he had a tongue that he could not hold, and that nobody else could hold,
and he began to speak with it the truth that had made a new man of him. The
God that made Luther, knew what he was at when he made him; he put
within him a greatburning fire that could not be restrained, and it burst
forth, and setthe nations on a blaze. Neverdespair about providence. There
sits to-night, somewhere in a chimney corner in the country, a man that will
turn the current of unbelief, and win back the churches to the old gospel. God
never yet did come to a point of distress as to his truth but what suddenly one
came forward, a David with a sling and a stone, or a Samsonwith a jawbone,
or a Shamgar with an ox-goad, who put to rout the adversaries ofthe Lord.
"There is a lad here." The providence of God had sent him.
Next, this lad with his loaves was brought into notice. When they were
searching for all the provisions in the company, this obscure boy, that never
would have been heard of else, was brought to the front, because he had his
little basketof biscuits. Andrew found him out, and he came and said to Jesus,
"There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes." So,
rest assured, that if you have the Breadof Life about you, and you are willing
to serve God, you need not be afraid that obscurity will ever prevent your
doing it. "Nobodyknows me," says one. Well, it is not a very desirable thing
that anybody should know you: those of us who are known to everybody
would be very glad if we were not; there is no very greatcomfort in it. He that
can work awayfor his Master, with nobody to see him but his Master, is the
happiest of men. "I have only one hundred people to preachto," said a
country pastorto me; and I replied, "If you give a goodaccountof those
hundred, you have quite enough to do." If all you have is very little—just that
pennyworth of loaves and fishes—use thatproperly, and you will do your
Masterservice;and in due time, when God wants you, he knows where to find
you. You need not put an advertisement in the paper; he knows the streetyou
live on, and the number on the door. You need not go and push yourself to the
front; the Lord will bring you to the front when he wants you; and I hope that
you do not want to get there if he does not want you. Depend upon it, should

53. you push forward when you are not required, he will put you back again. Oh,
for grace to work on unobserved, to have your one talent, your five loaves and
two fishes, and only to be noticed when the hour suggests the need, and the
need makes a loud callfor you. We have thus seen, first of all, the loaves and
fishes, in the desert, quite unnoticed, but put there by providence; and we now
behold them by that same providence, thrust into prominence.
When brought into notice, the loaves and fishes did not fare very well; they
were judged insufficient for the purpose; for Andrew said, "What are they
among so many?" The boy's candle seemedto be quite snuffed out: so small a
stock—whatcould be the use of that? Now, I dare say, that some of you have
had Satansaying to you, "What is the use of your trying to do anything?" To
you, dear mother, with a family of children, he has whispered, "You cannot
serve God." He knows very well that, by sustaining grace, you can and he is
afraid of how wellyou can serve God if you bring up those dearchildren in
his fear. He says to the colporteur over yonder, "You have not much ability;
what can you do." Ah, dear friend! he is afraid of what you cando, and if you
will only do what you can do, God will, by-and-by, help you to do what now
you cannotdo. But the devil is afraid of even the little that you cando now;
and many a child of God seems to side with Satanin despising the day of small
things. "What are they among so many?" So few, so poor, so devoid of talent,
what can any of us hope to do? Disdained, even by the disciples, it is small
wonder if we are held in contempt by the world. The things that Godwill
honor, man must first despise. You run the gauntlet of the derision of men,
and afterwards you come out to be used of God.
Though seeminglyinadequate to feedthe multitude, these loaves and fishes
would have been quite enoughfor the boy's supper, yet he appears to have
been quite willing to part with them. The disciples would not have takenthem
from him by force; the Masterwould not have allowedit: the lad willingly
gave them up to be the commencementof the greatfeast. Somebodymight
have said, "John, you know that you will soonbe able to eat those five cakes

54. and those two little fishes;keepthem; get awayinto a corner: every man for
himself." Is it not a goodrule, "Take care ofnumber one"? Yes, but the boy
whom God uses will not be selfish. Am I speaking to some young Christian to
whom Satan says, "Makemoney first, and serve God by-and-by; stick to
business, and geton; then, after that, you canact like a Christian, and give
some money away," and so on? Let such a one remember the barley loaves
and the fishes. If that lad had really wiselystudied his own interests, insteadof
merely yielding with a generous impulse to the demand of Christ, he would
have done exactly what he did; for if he had kept the loaves, he would have
eatenthem, and there would have been an end of them; but now that he
brings them to Christ, all those thousands of people are fed, and he gets as
much himself as he would have had if he had eatenhis own stock. And then, in
addition, he gets a share out of the twelve baskets full of fragments that
remain. Anything that you take awayfrom self and give to Christ is well
invested; it will often bring in ten thousand per cent. The Lord knows how to
give such a reward to an unselfish man, that he will feel that he that saves his
life loses it, but he that is willing even to lose his life, and the bread that
sustains it, is the man who, after all, gets truly saved.
This, then, is the history of these loaves. Theywere sent there through God's
providence by a lad who was soughtout and brought into notice. His stock-in-
trade was despised, but he was willing to give it, whether it was despisedor
not. He would yield it to his Lord. Now, do you see whatI am driving at? I
want to get a hold of some of the lads, and some young men and young
women—I will not trouble about your age, you shall be lads if you are under
seventy—I want to get hold of you who think that you have very little ability,
and sayto you, "Come, and bring it to Jesus."We want you. Times are hard.
The people are famishing. Though nobody seems to need you, yet make bold
to come out; and who knows but that, like Queen Esther, you may have come
to the kingdom for such a time as this? God may have brought you where you
are to make use of you for the converting of thousands; but you must be
convertedyourself first. Christ will not use you unless you are first his own.
You must yield yourself up to him, and be saved by his precious blood, and
then, after that, come and yield up to him all the little talent that you may

55. have, and pray him to make as much use of you as he did of the lad with the
five barley cakes.
II. But now I want to show you that THESE BARLEY CAKES GOT INTO A
GRAND POSITION. The text says, "Jesus took the loaves." He took them
into his own hands. From the trembling hands of the boy, or from his little
basket, they were transferred to the blessedhands which one day would bear
the nail-prints. This may teachus severallessons.
First, they were now associatedwith Jesus Christ. Henceforth those loaves do
not so much suggestthe thought of the lad's sacrifice as of the Savior's power.
Is it not a wonderful thing that Christ, the living God, should associatehimself
with our feebleness,with our want of talent, with our ignorance, with our little
faith? And yet he does so. If we are not associatedwith him, we can do
nothing; but when we come into living touch with him, we can do all things.
Those barley loaves in Christ's hands become pregnant with food for all the
throng. Out of his hands they are nothing but barley cakes;but in his hands,
associatedwith him, they are in contactwith omnipotence. Have you that love
the Lord Jesus Christthought of this, of bringing all that you possessto him,
that it may be associatedwith him? There is that brain of yours; it can be
associatedwith the teachings of his Spirit: there is that heart of yours; it can
be warmed with the love of God: there is that tongue of yours; it canbe
touched with the live coalfrom off the altar: there is that manhood of yours; it
can be perfectly consecratedby associationwith Christ. Hear the tender
command of the Lord, "Bring them hither to me," and your whole life will be
transformed. I do not saythat every man of common ability can rise to high
ability by being associatedwith Christ through faith, but I do say this,—that
his ordinary ability, in associationwith Christ, will become sufficient for the
occasionto which God in providence has called him. I know that you have
been praying, and saying, "I have not this, and I cannotdo that." Stay not to
number your deficiencies;bring what you have, and let all that you are, body,
soul, and spirit, be associatedwith Christ. Although he will not bestow upon

56. you new faculties, the faculties you have will have new power, for they will
come into a new condition towards him; and what may not be hoped for by
associationwith such wisdom and might?
But, further, they were transferred to Christ. A moment ago, they belongedto
this lad, but now they belong to Christ. "Jesus took the loaves."He has taken
possessionofthem; they are his property. Oh, Christian people, do you mean
what you saywhen you declare that you have given yourselves to Christ? If
you have made a full transfer, therein will lie greatpower for usefulness. But
do not people often say, "If I might make some reserve"? "Whatmeaneth
then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I
hear?" What about that odd thousand that you put in the funds the other
day? What about the money savedup for a new bonnet? You sometimes
sing—
"Yet if I might make some reserve,
And duty did not call,
I love my God with zeal so great,
That I should give him all."
Ah, well! when you have really yielded all, you may sing that again;but I am
afraid that there are but few who can sing it truly. Oh, that we had more real
putting of the loaves into Christ's hands! The time that you have not used for
self, but given to Christ; the knowledge thatyou have not stored, as in a
reservoir, but given to Christ; the ability that you have not wielded for the
world, but yielded to Christ; your influence and position, your money and
home, all put into Christ's hands, and reckonedto be not your own, but to be
his henceforth;this is the way in which London's need will be met, and the

57. world's hunger will be satisfied. But we are staggeredat the very outset by the
lack of this complete dedication of everything to Christ.
What is better still, as these loaves were givento Jesus, so they were accepted
by Jesus. Theywere not only dedicated, they were also consecrated. Jesus took
the five barley loaves, Jesustook the two little fishes, and in doing so he
seemedto say, "These will do for me." As the RevisedVersion has it, "Jesus
therefore took the loaves." Was there any reasonwhy he should? Yes, because
they were brought to him; they were willingly presented to him; there was a
need of them, and he could work with them, "therefore" he took the loaves.
Children of God, if Christ has ever made use of you, you have often stoodand
wondered howeverthe Lord could acceptyou; but there was a "therefore" in
it. He saw that you were willing to win souls: he saw the souls needed winning,
and he used you, evenyou. Am I not now speaking to some who might be of
greatservice if they yielded themselves unto Christ, and Christ acceptedthem,
and they became acceptedin the Beloved? Only five barley cakes,but Jesus
acceptedthem; only two small fishes, brought by a little lad, but the great
Christ acceptedthem, and they became his own. Let us join one now in
heaven who on earth brought her all, and pray—
"Oh, use me, Lord, use even me,
Just as thou wilt, and when, and where:
Until thy blessedface I see,
Thy rest, thy joy, thy glory share."
But, what is better still, these loaves and fishes were blessedby Christ as he
lifted up his eyes, and gave thanks to the Fatherfor them. Think of it. For five
little cakes andtwo sprats Christ gave thanks to the Father; apparently a

58. meagre cause for praise, but Jesus knew what he could make of them, and
therefore gave thanks for what they would presently accomplish. "Godloves
us," says Augustine, "forwhat we are becoming." Christ gave thanks for
these trifles because he saw whereunto they would grow. Do you not think
that, having thanked the Father, he also thanked the boy? And in after years
these words of gratitude would be ample recompense for such a tiny deed.
Like the womanwho castin the two mites to the treasury, he gave his all, and
doubtless was commended for the gift. Though high in glory to-day, Christ is
still grateful when such offerings are made to him; still he thanks his Father
when, with timid trembling hands, we offer to him our best, our all, however
small; still is his heart gladdened when we bring him our scanty store that it
may be touched by his dear hand, and blessedby his gracious lips. He loves
us, not for what we are, but for what he will yet make us; he blesses our
offerings, not for their worth, but because his power will yet make them
worthy of his praise. May the Lord thus bless every talent that you have! May
he bless your memory; may he bless your understanding; may he bless your
voices;may he bless your hearts; may he bless your heads; may he bless you
all and evermore! When he puts a blessing into the little gift and into the little
grace that we have, goodwork begins, and goes on to perfection.
And when the loaves had been blessed, the next thing was, they were increased
by Christ. Petertakes one, begins to break it, and as he breaks it, he has
always as much in his hand as he startedwith. "Here, take a bit of fish,
friend," says he. He gives a whole fish to that man, he has a whole fish left. So
he gives it to another, and another, and another, and goes onscattering the
bread and scattering the fish everywhere, as quickly as he can; and when he
has done, he has his hands just as full of fish and as full of bread as ever. If
you serve God you will never run dry. He who gives you something to sayone
Sunday will give you something to say another Sunday. These seven-and-
thirty years and more, have I ministered to this same church and
congregation, and every time that I have preachedI have said all that I knew.
Some very learned brethren are like the greattun of Heidelberg; they can
hold so much wine that there is enoughto swim in, but they put in a tap
somewhere up at the top, and you never get much out. Mine is a very small

59. barrel indeed, but the tap is down as low as it can be; and you can getmore
liquor out of a small tub, if you empty it, than you canout of a big vat if you
are only permitted to draw a little from the top. This boy gave all his loaves,
and all his fish—not much, truly—but Christ multiplied it. Be like him, give
your all; do not think of reserving some for another occasion. If you are a
preacher, do not think of what you will preach about the next time; think of
what you are going to preach about now. It is always quite enough to getone
sermon at a time: you need not have a store;because if you geta lot piled
awaysomewhere, there will be a stale odour about them. Even the manna that
came down from heaven bred worms and stank;so will your best sermons,
even if the messageis God-given; and if it does not come down from heaven,
but from your own brain, it will go bad still more quickly. Tell the people
about Christ. Lead them to Jesus, and do not trouble about what you will say
next time, but wait till next time comes, and it shall be given you in the same
hour what you shall speak.
But, mark once more: when Jesus took the loaves, it was not only to multiply,
but also to dispose of them. They were distributed by Christ. He did not
believe in multiplication, unless it was attended by division. Christ's additions
mean subtraction; and Christ's subtractions mean additions. He gives that we
may give away. He multiplied as soonas ever the disciples beganto distribute;
and when the distribution ended, the multiplication ended. Oh, for grace to go
on distributing! If you have receivedthe truth from Christ, tell it out! God
will whisper it in your ear, and tell it in; but if you stop the telling out, if you
ceasethe endeavorto bless others, it may be that God will no more bless you,
nor grant you againthe communion of his face.
Putting all this together, if we all would bring our loaves and fishes to the
Lord Jesus Christ, he would take them, and make them wholly his own. Then,
when he should have blessedthem, he would multiply them, and he would bid
us distribute them, and we could yet meet the needs of London, and the needs
of the whole world evento the last man. A Christ who could feed five

60. thousand can feed five millions. There is no limit. When once you geta
miracle, you may as well have a greatone. WheneverI find the critics paring
down miracles, it always seems to me to be very poor work; for if it is a
miracle, it is a miracle; and if you are in for a penny, you may as well be in for
a pound. If you can believe that Christ canfeed fifty, then you canbelieve that
he can feed five hundred, five thousand, five millions, five hundred millions, if
so it pleases him.
Thus have I tried to stir up God's people to believe in the Lord, and
consecrate themselves to him. But some of you are saying, "He is not
preaching to me." No, I am not preaching to you; but I am preaching for you;
for if God's people begin to be roused, they will] soonlook after you. You will
have somebody asking you about your soul before you get out of the
Tabernacle;and during the week, if you meet some of them, they will be
troubling you, rousing up your conscience, andmaking you feelwhat an awful
thing it is to be an enemy to God, and to live without Christ. I hope that it will
be so. Oh, you that do not love my Lord, what are you at? Paul said that you
would be Anathema Maranatha—cursedathis coming! I pray you, do not
rest easywhile that may be your portion. You are the people that we want to
feed, you are the people whom we want to bless. Oh, that God in his mercy
would but bless you! We do not ask to have the honor of it. We would be
willing to have it quite unknown who it was that brought you to the Savior, so
long as you did but come to him. May the Lord in mercy bring you!
III. But now, thirdly, and to conclude, THESE LOAVES AND FISHES HAD
AN AFTER-HISTORY. Theygotinto Christ's hands. What was the result?
First, a greatdeal of misery was removedby the lad's basketful of barley
cakes.Those poorpeople were famished; they had been with Christ all day,
and had had nothing to eat; and had they been dispersedas they were, tired
and hungry, many of them would have fainted by the way; perhaps some

61. would even have died. Oh, what would we give if we might but alleviate the
misery of this world! I remember the Earl of Shaftesbury saying, "I should
like to live longer. I cannotbear to go out of the world while there is so much
misery in it." And you know how that dear saint of God laid himself out to
look after the poor, and the helpless, and the needy, all his days. Perhaps I
speak to some who never woke up yet to the idea that, if they were to bring
their little all to Christ, he could make use of it in alleviating the misery of
many a wounded conscience,and that awful misery which will come upon
men if they die unforgiven, and stand before the judgment bar of God without
a Savior. Yes, young man, God canmake you the spiritual father of many. As
I look back upon my own history, little did I dream when first I opened my
mouth for Christ, in a very humble way, that I should have the honor of
bringing thousands to Jesus. Blessed, blessedbe his name! He has the glory of
it. But I cannot help thinking that there must be some other lad here, such a
one as I was, whom he may call by his grace to do service for him. When I had
a letter sent to me by the deacons ofthe church at New Park Street, to come
up to London to preach, I sent it back by the next post, telling them that they
had made a mistake, that I was a lad of nineteen years of age, happy among a
very poor and lowly people in Cambridgeshire, who loved me, and that I did
not imagine that they could mean that I was to preachin London. But they
returned it to me, and said that they knew all about it, and I must come. Ah,
what a story it has been since then, of the goodness and lovingkindness of the
Lord! Now, perhaps, these words come to some brother who has never yet laid
hold of the idea that God can use him. You must not think that God picks out
all the very choice and particularly fine persons. It is not so in the Bible; some
of those that he took were very rough people: even the first apostles were
mostly fishermen. Paul was an educatedman, but he was like a lot out of the
catalogue,one bow out of due time; the rest of them were not so, but God used
them; and it still pleases God, by the base things and things that are not, to
bring to nought the things that are. I do not want you to think highly of
yourself; your cakes are only five, and they are barley, and poor barley at
that; and your fish are very small, and there are only two of them. I do not
want you to think much of them, but think much of Christ, and believe that,
whoeveryou may be, if he thought it worth his while to buy you with his
blood, and is willing to make some use of you, it is surely worth your while to