Friday, November 29, 2013

FOUNDER'S DESK: HOLD TO HIS HAND.



Hello Readers.  

As always it is a true pleasure to be able to use this medium to impart unto you a Word of Encouragement.  In recent months, many of you and I have had some awesome talks, shed tears of anguish and joy, and became overcomers by the words of our testimonies.  Testimonies that were only possible because we CHOSE to HOLD TO GOD’S UNCHANGING HAND.

Growing up I heard this song sang with an energy which caused the entire membership of the church to rock back and forth; as though the words of the song caused their souls to dance within.  Needless to say, it has always been one of my favorite songs.  And recently after singing it at church, I was lead to write down the words to share with you.  The verses of the songs says:

Time is filled with swift transition, naught of earth unmoved shall stand.  Build your hopes on things eternal.  Hold to God’s unchanging hand!

Chorus:  Hold to his hand, to God’s unchanging hand!  Hold to his hand, to God’s unchanging hand?  Build your hopes on things eternal, Hold to God’s unchanging hand!

Trust in Him who will not leave you.  Whatsoever years may bring.  If by earthly friends forsaken, still more closely to Him cling!

Chorus:  Hold to his hand, to God’s unchanging hand!  Hold to his hand, to God’s unchanging hand.  Build your hopes on things eternal, Hold to God’s unchanging hand.

Covet not this world’s vain riches, that so rapidly decay.  Seek to gain the heavenly treasures, they will never pass away.

Chorus:  Hold to his hand, to God’s unchanging hand.  Hold to his hand, to God’s unchanging hand.  Build your hopes on things eternal, Hold to God’s unchanging hand.

When your journey is completed, if to God you have been true.  Fair and bright the home in glory, your enraptured soul shall view!

Chorus:  Hold to his hand, to God’s unchanging hand!  Hold to his hand, to God’s unchanging hand.  Build your hopes on things eternal, Hold to God’s unchanging hand.

Chorus:  Hold to his hand, to God’s unchanging hand!  Hold to his hand, to God’s unchanging hand.  Build your hopes on things eternal, Hold to God’s unchanging hand.

Throughout these past 11 months, many of us – YES US, have experienced an adventurous ride on the roadway of LIFE.   A ride that has taken us down some unexpected bends, sharp turns, elevated mountains and some of the deepest valleys.  But the GOOD NEWS is that we knew to kept our hand in the Lord's hand, no matter how heart wrenching the ride became.  I took a moment to look up the definition of HAND in my study bible, as it relates to God and it said: 

Hand – the end of the arm that serves as a grasping and handling tool for humans; symbolic of power. 

The phrase "The end of the arm that serves as a grasping and handling tool for humans." – continued to resonate within me so I inquiried about the “end of the arm….)  And this is what I received through the Word.

Isaiah 52:10

King James Version (KJV) 
10 The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.

Isaiah 52:10

New Living Translation (NLT)
10 The Lord has demonstrated his holy power before the eyes of all the nations. All the ends of the earth will see the victory of our God.

Exodus 15:6 
New Living Translation (NLT)
“Your right hand, O Lordis glorious in power.
Your right hand, O Lordsmashes the enemy.
*Right Hand: A figure of speech that represents God’s ultimate power and authority, and where the exalted Jesus Christ now sits.

Chorus:  Hold to his hand, to God’s unchanging hand!  Hold to his hand, to God’s unchanging hand.  Build your hopes on things eternal, Hold to God’s unchanging hand.

John 10:27-30
King James Version (KJV)
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
30 I and my Father are one.
**The strength of God is made known in creation and redemption and in his empowering of believers to live faithfully.

My sheep. They listen to Jesus, and they follow Him. These believers show renewal in the new direction and commitment of their lives.

The Lord gives His sheep the endless life of fellowship with God. He protects them from perishing, according to the infallibility of divine grace; and He allows no one to snatch them from His hand. The saints persevere because God preserves them. The sheep are not able to snatch themselves out of God’s hand because the divine Shepherd will keep all of His true sheep from eternally straying. The solemn warnings of Scripture against apostasy are not intended to cause doubts about God’s perseverance with those He has saved.

The Father’s hand. The hand of the Shepherd is also the Father’s hand, and the supreme power of God is the ultimate guarantee of the sheep’s safety.

As we end the year of 2013, we will begin to consider changes we would like to make in this upcoming year.  Our yearning to see or experience better things in this New Year, will cause many to make resolutions or set goals that will be their "fool proof" plan.  And thats fine, if that's what you chose for your life.  However  I'm more inclined to follow the insight of the song, in understanding that "Time is filled with swift transition, naught of earth unmoved shall stand.  Build your hopes on things eternal.  Hold to God’s unchanging hand!"  This has PROVEN to work in my life, so I'm going to continue to HOLD to his hand- My God's Unchanging Hand.

Blessings Readers


2 comments:

  1. Awesome reading and thanks for encouragement and I will hold to His hand

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you Janet Clary. Hold on and don't let go. Blessings

    ReplyDelete