Introduction

• “You’re in good hands.”
• Isaiah 41:10

We are protected in God’s hands

Protection from our enemies

• Psalms 31:14-15; 138:7-8
• Hebrews 13:5-6
• (Ephesians 6:11-12)

Inseparable from His hands

• John 10:29; Romans 8:37-39

We are made beautiful in God’s hands

Beauty in Creation

• Psalms 95:1-7; Genesis 1:2, 31; Ecclesiastes 3:11

Made beautiful by the potter

• Isaiah 64:8
• Jeremiah 18:2-11; 19:1-6, 10-12
• I Corinthians 6:9-11

Being moldable clay

• Stay pliable so God can form you to His purpose.
• Psalm 51:1-12 – David did not try to hide his sin from God. He asked forgiveness and put his life in God’s hands.
• I Peter 5:6

We are taken care of in God’s hands

The hand that provides

• Job 12:7-15; Psalms 145:1-3, 14-17
• (Genesis 22:7-8, 13-14; Matthew 6)

Faith in God’s provisions

• Poem: “Footprints in the Sand”

One night I dreamed I was walking

along the beach with the Lord.

Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.

In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.

Sometimes there were two sets of footprints,

other times there were one set of footprints.

This bothered me because I noticed that

during the low periods of my life, when I was

suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat,

I could see only one set of footprints.

So I said to the Lord,”You promised me

Lord, that if I followed you,

you would walk with me always.

But I have noticed that during the most trying periods

of my life there have only been

one set of footprints in the sand.

Why, when I needed you most,

you have not been there for me?”

The Lord replied,

“The times when you have

seen only one set of footprints,

is when I carried you.”

[Due to technical difficulties, the first few minutes of this lesson were not recorded. Sorry about that! -MRW]

Introduction

• Where do we turn in times of trouble?
  • We should be turning to God.
• We must put our trust in God.
  • II Chronicles 16:7
  • II Kings 16; Isaiah 7
  • If we look to ourselves rather than God, the outcome will not be good.
  • Isaiah 39; II Kings 20 – Hezekiah’s mistake
  • II Kings 17:3-6 – King Hoshea
  • It is foolish to look to man for protection.
  • Hardship builds character and trust in God.

Psalm 91

• Psalm 91:1-2 – We should have an intimate relationship with God.
• Psalms 91:3-4 – Compare Job’s hardships and challenges.
• Psalms 91:5-6 – God will protect you whether you see it coming or not.
• Psalms 91:7-8 – See Joshua 23:10.
• Psalms 91:9-10
• Psalms 91:11-13 – See Luke 4:10-11. Satan uses this verse when tempting Christ.
• Psalms 91:14-16 – God is not promising there will not be trouble, but that He will be with us when that trouble does come.

Applications

• Trust in God’s protection.
• Obedience to God is crucial to receiving God’s peace and protection.
• God’s protection goes beyond the physical.

Conclusion

• See II Kings 6:16-17. God opened the eyes of Elisha’s servant so he could see God’s protection.

Introduction

• Ezra 7:6-10
• Ezra 9:3-4, 6-8 – Ezra was appalled at the sin of Israel and prays to God.
• Ezra 10:3-5

Spend time in the Bible.

• Psalms 119:161-168 – We should rejoice in our time in the Bible.
• Colossians 4:16
• I Thessalonians 2:13
• Luke 11:28
• If you want peace, stability, and wisdom in your house, spend time in the Bible!

Live the Bible.

• Matthew 7:15-27 – People can tell who you truly are by your actions. Beware of hypocrisy and empty lip service to God.
• There must be:
  • Forgiveness
  • Thankfulness
  • Handling criticism well
  • Prayer – Romans 12:12
• Ephesians 5:25
• Ephesians 6:4
• Genesis 12:11-13; 20:2; 26:6-7 – Isaac told the same lie as Abraham.
• I Kings 12:28; 15:25-26
• What bad habits are my kids picking up from me?

Plan with the Bible.

• Genesis 17:7-8; 18:19
• Deuteronomy 6:7
• Psalms 78:6-7
• II Timothy 2:2
• II Peter 3:18
• God wants us to grow.

“Amen”

Origins

• Egyptian – amun
• Hebrew – amen
• Greek – amen

Use

• Old Testament – ceremonial
• New Testament – dual usage

Archaic

• What would we use today?
• Would it be appropriate?

How was it used?

Old Testament uses

• First uses – Numbers 5:22, trial of jealousy
• Next use – Deuteronomy 27, curses from Mt. Ebal
  • Mt. Ebal and Mt. Gerizim
    • Curses for violating God’s commands
    • Blessings for obeying all His commands
• Common use in I Kings 1:36?
  • Speaking to King David
• David’s song of thanks
  • David’s song
  • People replied “amen” and praise the Lord
  • I Chronicles 16:8, 36
• Other uses
  • Twice in Nehemiah – Nehemiah 5:13; 8:6
  • Four times in Psalms – Psalms 41:13; 22:19; 89:52; 106:48
  • Twice in Jeremiah – Jeremiah 11:5; 28:6

New Testament uses

• Greek word “amen”
• Not exactly same in meanings
• “Verily” – 101 times
• “Amen” – 51 times
• Case in point
  • John 21:25 – Some have “amen” at the end. Most do not.
• Some uses
  • End of “Lord’s prayer”
    • Matthew 5:13
  • Added at end of great commission
    • Matthew 28:20
  • I Corinthians 14:16
  • The last word in the New Testament.

Conclusion

• No dedicated word
• No exclusive use
• Used as it was in Israelite worship
• From where does the meaning come?

Introduction

• I Peter 4:10-11

What do we mean when we say … ?

“Lord willing”

• James 4:13-15

“Pastor”

• Ephesians 4:11 – Only occurrence of the term in the Bible.
• The term refers to a shepherd or elder.
• I Peter 5:1-2
• Pastor and preacher are two different roles.

“Promised Land”

• Genesis 12:7
• Hebrews 11:9

“Lord’s Supper” / “Communion”

• I Corinthians 11:20-26
• I Corinthians 10:16

“The inspired writer …”

• II Timothy 3:16
• We usually mean that the writer was inspired by God.
• I Thessalonians 2:13
• I Corinthians 2:13

Jargon or insider language

“Gospel meeting”

“Go forward” and “invitation song”

• Acts 2:37
• James 5:16

“Local church” and “universal church”

• Ephesians 5:23

“liberal church”

• II Corinthians 9:13
• If it means generous, every church should be liberal.
• If it means loose with the scriptures, no church should be liberal.

“institutional” vs. “non-institutional”

• How is the church’s money to be used? Institutional churches take the position that the local church’s money can be used to fund orphan’s homes and missionary societies. Non-institutional churches take the position that these institutions should not be funded with money from the church, although individuals can certainly contribute to them as they wish.

“marriage, divorce, and remarriage” and “Scriptural marriage / divorce”

A number of cultural sayings come from the Bible:

• “wash my hands of this” – Matthew 27:21
• “writing on the wall” – Daniel 5
• “by the skin of your teeth” – Job 19:20
• “apple of my eye” – Deuteronomy 32:10
• “wolves in sheep’s clothing” – Matthew 7:15
• “go the extra mile” – Matthew 5:41
• “eye for an eye” – Exodus 21:24
• “fall from grace” – Galatians 5:4
• “forbidden fruit” – Genesis 3
• “spare the rod, spoil the child” – Proverbs 29:15
• “a little birdie told me” – Ecclesiastes 10:20

Some sayings sound like they’re in the Bible, but they’re not.

• “Cleanliness is next to godliness.”
  • Ancient Babylonian or Hebrew proverb that was revived during the Victorian era.
• “God works in mysterious ways.”
  • Not an exact quote from the Bible. Compare Isaiah 55:9.
• “Idle hands are the devil’s workshop.”
  • Compare II Thessalonians 3:11; I Timothy 5:13.
• “This too shall pass.”
  • From an English poem called “Deor’s Lament.”
• “God helps those who help themselves.”
  • From Aesop’s Fables: “Hercules and the Wagoner”
• “Good things come to those who wait.”
  • From a poem by Violet Fane in 1892. The original wording was “all things come to those who wait,” but it got changed over time.