I Samuel 10:26

And Saul also went home to Gibeah; and

 there went with him a band of men, 

 whose hearts God had touched.

     King Midas received the golden touch. Everything that he touched turned to gold. But God has something much better. His touch changes lives and better yet it changes sinful hearts. If it wasn’t for God dealing with men’s hearts we would never change nor get better, much less get saved.

     King Midas received the golden touch. Everything that he touched turned to gold. But God has something much better. His touch changes lives and better yet it changes sinful hearts. If it wasn’t for God dealing with men’s hearts we would never change nor get better, much less get saved.

     King Saul had a band of fighting men whose hearts God had touched. Lives and hearts need to be touched by God in modern times. Bare your heart before God and let Him touch it. Never be afraid of letting God touch you. 

THE DIVINE TOUCH IS SOMETIMES A CLEANSING TOUCH. Isaiah 6:3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. 4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. 5 ¶ Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. 6 Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: 7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. 8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

     Isaiah received a vision of God’s glory. He quickly realized that his filthy lips were unfit to speak for God. An angel took a coal from the altar in the temple and touched his lips; thus cleansing them and making him fit to speak for God. After his lips were purified, Isaiah said, Here am I; send me. What a change!

     If there ever was a time when people’s lips need touching it certainly is now. Men have always had a problem with filthy mouths, but now some women are as bad as men and a few are worse than men. I guess that’s what women’s lib is about. Now women can talk as bad as men. I just cannot get used to a woman using bad language. My wife, mother, grandmothers, the women that I knew when I was growing up, and the girls that I went to school and church with never used bad language.

     Oh, for a cleansing of tongues in today’s society and even among God’s people. A fountain cannot produce both good and bitter water. James 3:8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. 11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? 12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.

    Men’s and women’s tongues have created more problems than anything else. The tongue is the world’s number one problem. James 3:5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! The tongue has created more hatred, started more fights, divided more families and churches, and started more wars than any other single thing. How the tongue needs purifying by the divine touch! Oh how, the tongue needs to be touched so we can speak and witness for God. You may think that you cannot talk for God. Exodus 4:11 And the LORD said unto him (Moses), Who hath made man's mouth? Who made your tongue?

    Then there are those who talk too much, even in church. The first lesson that some need to learn is to learn to shut up. Once a pastor talked so long that a visiting evangelist had to shorten his sermons to keep from wearing the congregation out. When the evangelist faced the pastor with his problem the talkative pastor said, “I just can’t seem to quit.” The evangelist said, “You mean you can’t shut-up!” People who never quit talking have tongues which need the divine touch. Once a talkative preacher student who I was in seminary with said, “You would be surprised how much I learned while talking.” I replied, “You would have learned a lot more if you had kept your mouth shut in class.” His wife then told him, “You asked for that.”

THE DIVINE TOUCH IS SOMETIMES AN UPLIFTING TOUCH. Psalms 40:2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. 3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth...

    Many times the child of God finds himself down and out. He sometimes feels as if he cannot take another step. But that is when God always comes through. God can lift us out of the mud and mire and put our feet on a solid rock.

    Even in New Testament times God is still in the business of touching the lives of those who cry to him for deliverance. I have never experienced being caught up into the third heaven as the apostle Paul. But I know what it is like when God reaches down to earth and lifts one of His beaten down children off of his face and sets his feet on a solid rock, puts joy in his heart, and a new song in his mouth.

    Daniel 10:10 ¶ And, behold, an hand touched me, which set me upon my knees and upon the palms of my hands. Daniel was under unbearable demonic pressure which knocked him down and kept him down. But a hand reached down out of heaven and picked him up. Oh, the mighty hand of our LORD. So when the pressures of life get you down look to heaven for the divine touch. The LORD can pick you up even after the devil knocks you down and keeps you down. The divine touch is so much better than pills for depression. THE DIVINE TOUCH IS SOMETIMES A HUMILIATING TOUCH Genesis 32:24 ¶ And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. 25 And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.

    Jacob was a character, a deceitful self sufficient and selfish character, who was more interested in what he wanted than in what God wanted. He just didn’t seem to know how to walk a straight line. But that night Jacob met his match at Peniel. God can out wrestle anyone. That night God touched the hollow of Jacob’s thigh and crippled him for life. Jacob never walked straight until he walked with a limp. The touch of God was a cure for Jacob’s biggest spiritual problem. Sometimes, God has to humble us in order to cure us! Surrender to God, now, so you will not experience this touch of God and limp the rest of your life. THE DIVINE TOUCH IS SOMETIMES A DANGEROUS TOUCH Exodus 10:20 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go.

    There are some who will never get right with God. God can love them or beat them completely down but they continue to rebel against Him. When they reach the point of no return they leave God no choice. Therefore God hardens their heart and permanently locks them into what they already are.

    Don’t be a lost cause! Repent of your sins. II Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Repent now before your heart is too hard to turn to God.

ABOVE ALL THE DIVINE TOUCH IS A SAVING TOUCH I Samuel 10:26 …there went with him a band of men, whose hearts God had touched.

    More than anything in life everyone’s heart needs touching. During His personal ministry Jesus touched the lives and the sick bodies of those He came in contact with. But above all and most importantly He touched their hearts and their spiritual lives. As the song says, “He touched me and made me whole.” The divine touch can make you spiritually whole. It doesn’t what one’s health is if his heart has not been changed by the Spirit of God. Above all Jesus came to heal those that were sin sick. If your heart has not been changed by God’s healing hand please turn to him and let Him touch your heart and save your eternal bound soul so you can spend forever in heaven and escape the torments of a devil’s hell.

THE TOUCH OF THE MASTER’S HAND

 ‘Twas battered and scared and the auctioneer

 Thought it scarcely worth his while 

To waste much time on the old violin

 But he held it up with a smile.

 “What am I bidden good folk?” he cried.

 “Who’ll start the bidden for me?” he cried.

 “A dollar—a dollar—then two, only two —

 “Two dollars, and who’ll make it three? 

“Going for three”—but no— 

From the room far back. A gray-haired man

 Came forward and picked up the bow, 

Then, wiping the dust from the old violin,

 And tightening up the loosened strings, 

He played a melody pure and sweet 

As an caroling angel sings. 

The music ceased and the auctioneer, 

With a voice that was quiet and low, 

Said, “NOW what am I bid for the old violin?” 

And he held it up with the bow. 

“A thousand and who’ll make it two?”

 “Two thousand and who’ll make it three?” 

“Three thousand once—three thousand twice—

 “And going—and gone.” cried he. 

The people cheered, but some of them cried,

 “We do not understand.” 

“What changed its worth?” Quick came the reply. 

“The touch of the Master’s hand.” 

And many a man with his life out of tune, 

And battered and scared with sin, 

Is auctioned cheap to a thoughtless crowd, 

Much like the old violin 

A mess of pottage—a glass of wine, 

A game—and he travels on; 

He is going once—and going twice— 

He ‘s going—and almost gone. 

But the Master comes, and the foolish crowd

Never can quite understand 

The worth of a soul, and the change that’s wrought 

BY THE TOUCH OF THE MASTER’S HAND!

    I have had my Grandad’s old fiddle for years which has to be over one hundred years old. The top of what they call the belly was splintered. It was in such bad shape that I kept it and the pieces in a large paper sack. I found a man who was able to glue the splinters together and it played, but not really like it should. A few years latter I found a master fiddle maker who made a new belly for it by hand and replaced the old one. He was also a good fiddle player. After he played it, it sounded so good that he wanted to keep it for himself. What made the difference? It was the touch of a master’s hand.

    If you think that you are without hope now and forever. If you think that your personal problems are impossible. Turn them over to the Master of the universe and let Him lay his hand on them. Let Jesus touch you and fix you and make you better than new!