The message will be taken out
of one of the phrases that are in here in Psalm 143. And once you look down at verse
5 of Psalm 143, the psalmist David says, I remember the days
of old. I meditate on all thy works. I muse on the work of thy hands. This morning, if you will allow
me, we are going to muse on the works of God's hands. Some time ago, Peggy and I changed insurance
companies. We see that insurance company
advertised on TV all the time. And one of the last words that
are said in those commercials is, are you in good hands or you
are in good hands. After we left the insurance company
on the way back home, I was telling Peggy, you know, it's good to
be in good hands for insurance on this earth. But I'm in better
hands than that. I'm in the greatest of hands.
I'm in the one who is in sovereign control of everything. I serve the sovereign, living,
true God. This is the true God and his
son, Jesus Christ. I want to muse just a little
bit. The word meditate means to think about. It's like a cow
that's in the field. He ruminates. He eats a while,
goes lays down in the shade. She eats a while, goes lay down
in the shade. And she'll rift up what we call
the cud. And she'll re-chew it. And she
may do it three or four times because you know cows have four
stomachs. So she may do it several times.
That's what the word meditate in the Old Testament. That's
what it comes from. Ruminate. Think about. Keep thinking about. Bring it
back up and keep thinking about it again. And then David says
here in Psalm 143, I muse on the work of thy hands. The word muse takes meditation
a little bit farther. The word muse means to not only
ruminate on everything, but to assimilate. And that's why the
cow ruminates, so that it can assimilate these nutrients and
these things into its body and grow, produce milk, whatever
a cow's supposed to do. And this morning we're going
to meditate on his word in our thinking, but we're going to
muse. We're going to assimilate. We're going to, as it were, speak
it out. And isn't that what the gospel
is supposed to be? That's what we're supposed to do with the
gospel. Speak it out. Let people know. Let people know
the truth of God's word that God sent his only begotten son. Jesus Christ became a man for
one purpose, to die for the sins of his people. And this morning
I want to ask you, as we look at these things together, are
you in good hands? Are you in your own hands? Doing
whatever you want, however you want, however you feel? Are you
in the devil's hands? Doing whatever he wants? Acting
like your father the devil who was a liar and a murderer from
the beginning? Are you in good hands? Are you
in the hands of God? Which hands would you rather
be in? Ezra and Nehemiah used the phrase
several times throughout their books. the book of Ezra, the
book of Nehemiah, and the phrase went something like this. After
they had talked to the king, or after they had prayed and
was getting ready to cross over back into the promised land after
70 years of captivity, this phrase they used, according to the good
hand of my God upon me. According to the good hand of
my God upon me. Jesus our Lord said there's none
good but God. There's only one goodness in
all the world, in all the universe, in all of creation, in all of
heaven. There's only one thing, one person
who's good and that's God himself. No wonder Paul said all things
work together for good to them that love God to them that are
called according to His purpose. Are you in good hands? The greatest
hands? There's none like Him. Men try to produce another God. Men try to preach another gospel. But there's not another God.
There's not another gospel. There's none like Him. There's
none beside Him. Don't place anything beside Him.
There's nothing like Him. There's nothing beside Him. And
there's no comparison at all in all this universe to Him. So much so that when God looks
at the stars and the skies and He looks at the heaven, they're
unclean to Him. Everything about our Lord, Jesus
Christ, is marvelous, mysterious, majestic, mighty, immutable,
which means unchanging. That's just a big old 50 cent
word I threw out there. Unchanging, immovable, magnificent. Oh, magnify the Lord with me
and let us exalt his name together is what David said. Do you know even if spit had
value? Three blind men he healed by
using spit. Lord, if I could just have you
spit, that'd be enough. The crumbs from the table had
value, from his table. The scraps, the Syro-Phoenician
woman said, well, even the dogs get to eat the scraps from the
table. I'm a dog, I could eat the scraps from the table, just
had the crumbs, just had the scraps. The hem of his garment had value. The woman with the issue of blood
for 12 years said, if I could just touch the hem of his garment. And when she touched him, Jesus
turned around and said, who touched me? For virtue had gone out of
him. Many, when Jesus was in one place,
many of the People went out abroad telling everybody that Jesus
Christ was there in their midst. And many of them came if they
could but touch the hem of his garment. But we're talking about
his hands. Those glorious, powerful, David
said were guided by the skillfulness of his hands. David said, the
right hand of the Lord is exalted and doeth valiantly. David said,
thy right hand is full of righteousness. At thy right hand are pleasures
forevermore. His right hand and his holy arm
hath gotten him the victory. They are saving strength. in
his right hand. We are upheld by his hand, David
says. Oh, that we were in the good
hands of our Lord. I've made my points just a little
bit personal, but put your name, you in the place of these, if
you're one of God's sheep. I am in the good hands of Him
that created everything. I'm in the good hands of Him
who created everything. He made the seas. His hands formed
the dry ground. The heavens are the work of Thy
hands. Thy hands have made me and fashioned
me. And David says in Psalm 143 verse
5, I muse on the work of thy hands. What hands they are. I'm in the good hands of that
one Jesus Christ the Lord who created me. How can I say that?
Look in John chapter one. John chapter one. In John chapter 1 verse 1, in the beginning was the word,
and the word was with God, and the word was God. The same was in the beginning
with God. All things were made by him,
and without him was not anything made that was made. Now if you
are in any doubt of who the Word is, look down at verse 14. And the Word was made flesh and
dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory of the only
begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. That's the
Lord Jesus Christ. He created everything. As a matter
of fact, Paul wanted us to know that for sure. Turn to Colossians
chapter 1. Colossians chapter 1. Ephesians,
Philippians, Colossians. Colossians chapter 1. We'll begin in verse 15. Colossians chapter 1 verse 15,
who is referring to Jesus Christ, the one in whom we have redemption,
even the forgiveness of sins, verse 15, who is the image of
the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature, for by him
were all things created. that are in heaven and that are
in earth visible and invisible whether they be thrones or dominions
or principalities or powers all things were created by him and
for him and he is before all things and by him all things
consist. I'm in the good hands of the
one that created everything. As a matter of fact when Stephen spoke his last sermon
in the book of Acts. They stoned him for this, for his message of Jesus Christ. Stephen was speaking of Solomon,
and Solomon was going to build the temple. And Solomon was told,
just like David was told, and Solomon told the people, God
doesn't dwell in a house made by hands. And the reason God said that
is, hath not my hands made all things? I'm in the good hands
of he who created everything. He has the sovereign right to
rule all things. And Peter said it this way. He is a faithful creator. He's faithful to His people.
He's a faithful creator. He created that new nature, that
new creation, and He's faithful. He was, is, forever will be faithful
to His new creation. Not only am I in the good hands
of The Lord Jesus Christ who created everything. But I'm in
the good hands that cannot be stayed. You can't stop these
hands. Who do we think we are? That
we think we can bring God down to our level and make him to
be just like us. He is God. If anything, I learned when I
first started coming to Lantana Grace Church and Pastor Donnie
was preaching, if anything I learned, I learned this. He's God. Really, that's all I need to
know. He's God. I'm just part of His creation.
What can I say? What can I do? I'm in the good
hands of the Lord that cannot be stayed. Turn with me to Daniel
chapter four. Daniel chapter four, go down
to verse 34. You'll see Jeremiah, Ezekiel,
Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, and then Daniel. Daniel chapter four. Here we have a heathen, godless
king's testimony. This man had conquered the whole
then known world. He was used of God in this. God
had brought him to this because God's purpose was to punish,
chastise the people of God in Judah. And they were carried
away captive by Nebuchadnezzar. He built the Hanging Gardens,
some call one of the seven wonders of the world, the Hanging Gardens
of Babylon. And he stood outside that one
day and said, look what I've done. Look how great a man I
am. I've conquered the whole world.
I've built the hanging gardens of Babylon so wonderfully and
beautifully that everybody thinks I'm so wonderful and so great.
And then God said, no you're not. You're just a man full of
sin just like everybody else. And Nebuchadnezzar went stark
raving mad. while he was out there eating
grass like an animal. His fingernails grew like eagle's
claws. His hair matted so much they
were like eagle's feathers. He was outside the dew of heaven
fell on him day in and day out. And while God had him in that
way, God evidently taught him something. Because when he came
back to his right mind, he came back to sanity, here's what he
said. Daniel chapter 4, verse 34. At the end of the days, I, Nebuchadnezzar,
lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned
unto me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored
him that liveth forever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion,
and his kingdom is from generation to generation. And all the inhabitants
of the earth are reputed as nothing, and he doeth according to his
will. in the army of heaven and among
the inhabitants of the earth and none can stay his hand or
say to him, what doest thou? Our Lord does what he pleases
when and however he pleases heaven and earth. And what he's pleased
is his purpose of all eternity, his covenant. that covenant of
grace that began with him, that was made by him, that is
made effectual in each one of his sheep, that covenant of grace
that God made with himself. He always does right. You don't have to worry about
those hands. They'll always do the right thing. The good hands, I'm in the good
hands of that one whose hands cannot be stayed. The writer
of Proverbs said it this way. The king's heart is in thy hand. As the rivers of water, he turneth
it whithersoever he will. That's pretty clear, isn't it?
God even takes the king's heart and he turns it however he wants.
Some 200 years before he ever became a ruler, Cyrus was mentioned
by name by Isaiah. 200 years later Ezra was standing
in front of Cyrus and Cyrus God came to him and put it in his
heart and in his mind in Ezra chapter 1 to build the temple
for the Lord 200 years later Now God If the kings are in thy hand,
the rulers of this world are in thy hands, what a privilege we have in these
United States to make our vote. But God puts in office whom he
will. God takes out of office whom
he will. He's the one that's in control,
not you. Not me. I'm in the good hands
of He that created everything. I'm in the good hands that cannot
be stayed. Let me show you another one. I'm in the good hands that saved
a drowning man. Turn with me to Matthew chapter
14. Matthew chapter 14. Matthew chapter 14. Jesus had commanded his disciples
to go to the other side. Take a ship, go to the other
side. They all got in the ship and started going to the other
side and a storm broke up in the Sea of Galilee. That ship
was tossed around like a cork in a bathtub. The winds and the
waves were boisterous in their face. They weren't getting anywhere. The fourth watch of the night,
early morning, here comes Jesus walking on the water. They thought it was a ghost.
Scared them half to death. When's the last time you saw
somebody walking on water? And the Lord spoke. Oh, I'm so
glad he speaks when we're afraid. Be not afraid. It is I. Oh, I'm so thankful for that.
That one day the Lord said that same thing to me. Don't be afraid. It is I. He says that to me quite
often because I'm a man with fears. And he has to say it to me. Don't
be afraid. It is I. I've got control of
this storm. I've got control of these waves.
I've got control of that wind. I've got control of all those
problems. Don't be afraid. Peter said,
you know how Peter was. He was one of those guys, you
would say, open mouth, insert foot. He spoke his mind. I'm glad he
did. Because that teaches us we can
speak our mind and the Lord, he'll either correct us or help
us. But if we're one of his, we can
speak our mind to him. Read the Psalms. David speaking
his mind to the Lord. Some of those things you would
hesitate to say yourself. But if you were in the circumstances
he were in, you'd say them and God would speak to you. It is
I. Don't be afraid. Peter said, if it is you, bid
me to come walk on the water with you. Now we can say whatever
we want to say about Peter. But he's the only man besides
Jesus Christ that walked on water. He exercised some faith. He stepped
out of that ship and he started walking to Jesus, our Lord. But while he was walking there,
our Lord was standing in such a way that the waves and the
wind were billowing over And Peter took his eyes off the Lord,
put his eyes on the winds and the waves, and he began to sink. How fast do you sink in water? He had just enough time to say,
Lord, save me. And I believe before his head
ever went underwater, the Lord had reached out his hand. Look
at verses 30 and 31. But when he saw Peter saw the
wind boisterous, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried,
saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched
forth his hand and caught him. That's what I needed. I wasn't
reaching my hand to him. I had this old rebellious heart.
Black was sin, thinking I knew everything. Honestly, the first
service I ever came with Peggy, I thought, well, I know more
than these folk. I've been to college. I went
to Bible school. I had five years of religious
education. Man, I know more than these guys. Donnie got up and started preaching.
And it didn't take but about halfway through the sermon that
I realized I didn't know nothing. I'd never heard preaching like
that before. Went out in the boat with a couple
of guys, Bruce and James, and they took me out trout fishing
for the first time, going down the river. Bruce turned around
and he said, what do you think about our preacher? I didn't
know what to say. What do you think about the messages?
I didn't know what to say because I was flabbergasted by what I
heard. And then the Lord taught me. Here's the truth. Here's the truth. Sovereign grace
is the truth. Sovereign God is the truth. God's effectual working is the
truth. He didn't offer me anything. He reached out and caught me
and brought me to Himself. That's the only way I'd have
ever come. And thank the Lord He did it
for me. I'm in the good hands that saved
a drowning man. In the book of Acts, there were
a number of people that were at that point in Acts chapter
11 being saved. The Greeks were brought to the
Lord. The Grecians were, Grecian Jews
in this case, were brought to the Lord. And it is said there,
the hand of the Lord was with them and a great number believed
and turned to the Lord. Oh, that this morning that the
hand of the Lord would reach out immediately and catch someone
and bring him into the ship. Is the Lord's hand shortened
that it cannot redeem? Oh, He can redeem and you can
best believe it. I'm in the good hands that created
everything. I'm in the good hands that cannot
be stayed. I'm in the good hands that saved
a drowning man, a sinner like me. I'm in the good hands that
were nailed to the cross for me the sinner. Listen to David
in Psalm 22. Psalm 22. and verse 16. Psalm 22 is a picture of Jesus
Christ on the cross. In Psalm 22 and verse 16 it says,
For dogs have compassed me, the assembly of the wicked have enclosed
me, they have pierced my hands and my feet. All the men that cried out, crucify
him, crucify him. We'll have nothing to do with
this man. We have no king but Caesar. Those soldiers led him to the
cross and they pierced his hands with nails. They pierced his
feet with nails. And those hands are the hands
that I'm in. Good hands, redemptive hands,
hands that bled for me. His blood has given forgiveness
to all his people. He suffered in my place, the
just for the unjust, Peter said. For the joy that was set before
him, he suffered these things. What joy could that be? The first
joy was to be with his father, satisfy him, be accepted of his
father. And the second joy was he brought
many sons to glory. I'm in the good hands that were
nailed to the cross for me. Paul said it this way, blotting
out the handwriting of ordinances against us, having nailed it
to the tree. What was nailed to the tree?
Our Lord Jesus Christ. God nailed that to the tree.
Him to the tree. They nailed something else to
that tree. which was a little sign that
said, nailed, put there by Pilate, this is the king of the Jews.
Because Pilate had washed his hands of this and said, we'll
get rid of you king. We'll kill him. Can't be king
no more. What he didn't know and what
our Lord tried to tell him was, or our Lord did tell him, You
wouldn't have any power except God gave it to you. He's been king from eternity
past to now and forever. He's king. He's not going to
be king. He's not going to come to this
earth and set up some kind of a kingdom for a thousand years
of righteousness and peace. He is king. We're living in that
time. where God is King. I'm in the good hands that were
nailed to the cross for me. My King shows those hands. I'll be taken away a little bit
from something else I'm going to say later on. But isn't that
what Thomas wanted to say? I won't believe that Jesus Christ
is alive unless I can put my fingers in the nail prints in
his hand and thrust my hand into his side. The next time they
were together and Thomas, Jesus came in the midst of them. Thank the Lord he takes care
of all our doubts, all our fears. He didn't chide with Thomas.
He didn't tell him how little faith he had. He didn't tell
him how awful he was. You know what he did? Sure you
do. Behold, my hands and my feet
and my side. Thomas, you want to see him?
Would you like to put your fingers in him? Thomas didn't move from
where he was. He just cried out, my Lord and
my God. That was who was standing before
him. I'm in the good hands that were nailed to the cross for
me. I'm in the good hands from which the sheep cannot be plucked. Turn with me to John chapter
10. John chapter 10. John chapter 10. Most of you know this whole passage
here. The Good Shepherd. John chapter 10, go down to verse
27. My sheep, our Lord said, my sheep
hear my voice and I know them and they follow me. According
to the first part of the chapter, they won't follow a stranger's
voice. His sheep will only follow His voice. And they follow Me,
and I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish,
neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand. I'm in good hands. When the Lord
brought Me to Himself, He says, I've got you. And no man is able. He's God. Who could? No man is able to pluck me out
of my father's hands. Which he goes on to say. My father which gave them me
is greater than all. And no man is able to pluck them
out of my father's hands. Tim James said it was a two-fisted
God. He's got us. Now who in the world is going
to take us out of that? Who could do it? I'm in the good
hands from which his sheep cannot be plucked. I'm in the good hands
that were raised, that were shown as proof of his
redemption and resurrection. As he began to ascend on high,
after his resurrection he raised his hands and he blessed the
people. What do you suppose they saw? They saw those nail pierced hands? And they heard Him bless them. Blessing them with only the way
God could bless. And giving them understanding. Thank the Lord that one day He
raised those blessed hands. and blessed me and all his sheep
and gave us understanding. I'm in the good hands that were
shown a proof of his redemption and his resurrection. Why he
was raised for our justification, Paul said. He was raised for our justification. He was accepted of God so God
brought him from the dead. We who are His sheep are in the
Beloved and we are accepted for God to God. So therefore, He
raises up us from the dead. As a matter of fact, He said
it in John chapter 6. All that the Father giveth me
shall come to me and him that cometh to me shall in no wise
perish and I will raise him up. from the dead. Three times in
John chapter six, I'll raise them up from the dead. I'm in
those good hands. One final thought, I'm in the
good hands that are going to be with me forever. He is the Lamb slain from the
foundation of the world. And when we get to glory, what
are we going to see? We are going to see the Lamb
slain. We are going to see those nail pierced hands. We are going
to see that spear rib inside. We are going to see those nail
pierced feet. And we are going to know and
feel and enjoy the love of God for all eternity. Those hands are going to be with
me forever. Those hands that created everything,
those hands that cannot be stayed, those hands that saves the drowning
man, those hands that were nailed to the cross, those hands from
which His sheep can never be plucked, those hands that were
shown as proof of His redemption and resurrection, those hands
that were raised to bless and to give understanding, all eternity
I will be able to enjoy The hands of my Savior. Now I ask you in closing. Are you in those good hands? Or are you in your own? Or in
the devil's? However you want to call it.
Are you in your own self-righteous hands? Are you in your own rebellious
hands? Or are you in God's hands? His sovereign grace and mercy. Do you know God delights in mercy? You recognize that you are a
sinner before a holy God and you fall before him as he is
the sovereign and you are nothing. And you call upon the name of
the Lord. You know what he'll do? He'll
save you. That's His promise. My God keeps His promise. Are you in good hands?