Dear Editors and friends,

Please freely print this weeks Penny Pulpit Column in your papers, bulletins, emails, bloggs and twitters .  Thank you for this consideration.
Pastor Ed Rice,  Good Samaritan Baptist Church, Dresden NY 14441

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Msg #1131 The Stretched Out Hand

What The Bible Says

Good Samaritan's Penny Pulpit by Pastor Ed Rice

   Many things can be implied when a Father stretches out his hand to a child. All of them are aptly implied in God's warnings to Israel spoken through Isaiah His prophet. Chapter5 begins with God's Vineyard Song, goes on with Six Woes upon Israel's callous behavior, and then introduces the 'stretched out hand.' “Therefore is the anger of the LORD kindled against his people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and hath smitten them: and the hills did tremble, and their carcases were torn in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.” The first occurrence of a stretched out hand is when Abraham's only begotten son was being offered in sacrifice on Mount Calvary; the second when Israel stretched forth his hand to bless Ephraim his younger grandchild instead of Manasseh the elder; the third use of the stretched out hand was to redeem Israel from bondage in Egypt. Here in Isaiah's writings the Father's hand is stretched out in anger, but that little phrase “for all this … his had is stretched out still,” has greater implication than chastening or anger. Since the day that God stretched out his hand and offered His Only Begotten Son on Mount Calvary, He has had his hand stretched out in invitation that says “ Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Although man-made religions, with their good works and penance payments, strive to pay their own way, His had is stretched out still. Although America ignores Him as their Creator and Lawgiver, his hand is stretched out still. Heavy laden? His hand is stretched out still. Has been for these 1,978 years.

An Essay for week #31 Sun, Aug 7, 11

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