The Arm of God

“They have an arm of flesh. We have the arm of God on our side.” This is what King Hezekiah told his people of Judah as they faced the imminent invasion by King Sennacherib of Assyria.

Hezekiah’s predecessor (Ahaz) had led everyone away from God and worshipped Baal and made sacrifices (including child sacrifices) to other gods. (2 Chronicles 28:1-4) But Hezekiah turned things around. He tore down those altars to false gods and cleaned out and re-consecrated the temple. He re-instituted worship, the giving of tithes and offerings, and the celebration of Passover. (2 Chronicles 29-30) So, when Sennacherib threatened to destroy them, Hezekiah encouraged the people to have faith in God: “With him is only an arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles. And the people relied on the words of Hezekiah, King of Judah.” (2 Chronicles 32:8)

Even so, Sennacherib’s army taunted “no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people from my hand…How much less will your God deliver you?” (2 Chronicles 32:15) King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah appealed to God in prayer. God sent an angel who destroyed the waiting enemy army, and Sennacherib returned in shame to his own land and was killed there. (2 Chronicles 32:21-21)

What “enemies” threaten you? Is it fear, worry, bitterness, selfishness, or (you fill in the blank)? Do you rely on the “arm of flesh” or the might of the one true God when you face fears? “His right hand and His holy arm have the victory for Him.” (Psalm 98:1) The “arm of the Lord” is a symbol of God’s power, and His power is stronger than any worldly threat you may encounter.

Just as Sennacherib made fun of God, your own thoughts or outside influences may try to discourage you from relying on God. Arm yourself by memorizing one or two favorite Bible verses. The Psalms in the Bible are full of encouraging verses. For example, Psalm 46:1 reads “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” I often think of Psalm 112:7 which describes someone who reverences God: “He (or she) will not fear evil tidings. His heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.” Psalm 23 is also very reassuring.

Do you know someone in the midst of a battle whom you could direct to the one true God for strength and deliverance? Trust in God and His mighty arm!

“Fear not, for I am with you, be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help; you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)


You guessed it! This week we are going to work on arms, specifically the triceps muscles on the back of the upper arm. I call them the “troublesome triceps” because it seems like everyone dislikes their triceps and wants to tone up this area. Remember, muscles work in pairs. We did the biceps (on the front of the arm) a couple of weeks ago and you can review that one by clicking here. In general, the triceps tend to be weaker than the biceps. This week you will learn the “triceps kickback.” It can be done with or without a weight.

Here is the starting position: Put your left knee up on a bench or chair and hold onto it with your left hand for support. Hold the weight (if you are using one) in your right hand with your palm facing inward. Bend your arm 90 degrees so your upper arm is parallel to the floor. As shown in the photo at RIGHT, your back is also parallel to the floor. Pay attention to what your head is doing. You want it to be an extension of your spine. (In other words, don’t let it drop down.) Also, keep your shoulders pulled downward and your abdominals pulled in the whole time.

Now for the action. Slowly straighten your right arm so your lower arm presses back and your arm is now straight. The only joint that moves is your elbow. Keep your shoulders in place and your upper arm is going to stay parallel to the floor. Check to make sure that your wrist does not bend either. It might be helpful to do this one in front of a mirror at first to make sure you have correct form. You can exhale while you are pressing back. If you have any pain, stop, and if you are unsure about whether an exercise is appropriate for you, ask your physician.

Perform eight to twelve reps. Then switch direction and do the left arm. If you are just starting, it is fine to do this without a weight. Later, you can use various objects from around your home as weights.

You should strengthen your triceps two or three times per week, on the same days that you do the biceps. After a few weeks, you will notice that the back of your upper arm is firmer. That is a welcome change as the warmer weather approaches. Also, stronger triceps will help you with your grip strength, which we talked about last time. Add the tricep kickback exercise as part of your Length and Strength routine!

From Bewildered to Belief

“They were bewildered.” That describes the Jews when they heard Jesus’ disciples speaking in languages they had not known before. (Acts 2:24) It was a feast day, so the devout Jews would have been fasting that morning in Jerusalem, and perhaps praying and meditating on scriptures, when a loud, gale-force wind caught their attention. Naturally, they ran to check it out. Hearing these twelve disciples, eleven of whom were from Galilee, speaking in foreign languages, was certainly a mystery. Today it is not unusual to hear immigrants in our country speaking a foreign language. But to hear someone you know is a “local” speaking another tongue would be puzzling. The Bible says they were “bewildered,” and this caught my attention.

God used the Holy Spirit, which moments before, accompanied by the violent wind, had spread like flames of fire to each of the disciples (Acts 2:2-3) to arouse the curiosity of these Jews who had migrated to Jerusalem from a number of other countries. Peter stepped forward as the spokesman to explain what was going on. He put it in the context of the Jewish heritage of the audience: that this pouring out of the Holy Spirit was spoken of long ago by the prophets (Acts 2:16-21, Joel 2:28-32) and Jesus’ death and resurrection was God’s predetermined plan. (Acts 2:23-24) “Then God released Him from the horrors of death and brought Him back to life again, for death could not keep this man within its grip.” (Acts 2:24, The Living Bible)

Speaking of coming back to life, Peter quoted King David as he looked forward in faith to overcoming death and realizing the promised hope of life and the joy of God’s presence: “… Moreover my flesh will also live in hope…You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of gladness with your presence.” (Acts 2:26,28) God’s presence – that is the Holy Spirit living in us.

Finally, Peter stated in no uncertain terms that Jesus is “both Lord and Christ.” That’s who the Jews had been waiting for for centuries! So of course this struck them to the heart and they wanted to know what to do next. (Acts 2: 36-37) Peter told them simply, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38) Many did believe and were baptized. It must have been a size-able crowd that gathered, as 3000 were baptized that day. (Acts 2:41) They spent time learning, sharing meals and fellowship with one another, and praying. And, catch this in Acts 2:43: “Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe.”

The Jews went from being bewildered, to believing, to being in awe. Alleluia! Christ is risen indeed! Jesus overcame death’s grip and sent the Holy Spirit, resulting in power, unthought-of abilities, bewilderment, effective teaching, miracles, belief, and awe!

“Then God released Him from the horrors of death and brought Him back to life again, for death could not keep this man within its grip.” (Acts 2:24, The Living Bible)

Death could not hold Jesus in its grip. As we get older our grip strength tends to decrease. Opening a jar or gripping an object

is painful or impossible. Weakness in the arms is one reason for this, and you may review last week’s post to learn about strengthening the biceps on the front of your arm. Next week we will look at strengthening the triceps on the back of your arm. Strengthening both of those muscles of the upper arm can help improve grip strength.

Another factor contributing to a weak grip is pain or inflammation in the tendon on the side of the thumb, also known as de Quervain’s. This can make opening a package or taking a pan out of the oven very uncomfortable. Sustained activities such as writing or raking leaves can aggravate the condition. This week I will show you some exercises you can do to strengthen this area. This is not intended as medical advice and you should consult your physician for a diagnosis or if you have questions about which exercises are appropriate for you.

If you have pain in the area, stretching can help. As shown at

right, open your fingers wide, as if trying to get your thumb far away from your hand. During prolonged activities such as writing, playing tennis, or using barbells, take breaks and open your hands. Another stretch that feels good is to bring your thumb across the palm of your hand at the base

of your fingers (shown at left). Your range of motion may be limited by your pain level. Again, ask your physician for an accurate diagnosis and follow his or her instructions.


Once your pain is under control, you may move to strengthening the muscles in that area. Sit with your forearm on a table or desk and your palm facing upward (as shown at right).

Keep your forearm on the table and bend your wrist upward toward you.

This is a “wrist curl.”


To work the muscles on the other side, turn your hand over (palm down)

and raise your hand off the table, shown at left (wrist extension).

Remember to keep your forearm on the table.





Next you can make your hand into a loose fist with your fingernails touching the table but your thumb resting straight. This is your starting position.

Now slightly rotate your wrist so that your thumb is closer to the ceiling (Your fingers will come off of the table a little.), as you can see in the photo at the right. If you have any pain, do not perform this one.


Lastly, you can use a rubber band around your fingers and thumb and try to open your hand against the resistance of the rubber band. (Shown at left.)

Again, stop if you have pain.

A thumb brace is also very helpful to stabilize the thumb while you are doing activities. I wear one while sleeping to prevent my thumb from going into a position that puts too much stress on it. I also discovered that it is extremely helpful to wear the brace while raking leaves (which I think brought this on in the first place). I had one woman in my class who wore her brace while doing water aerobics. The lifetime of the brace was shortened from being in the pool, but she was able to enjoy exercising without aggravating her thumb.

These are certainly exercises you can do anywhere. You may do these each day. Perform eight to twelve repetitions for each exercise, as long as it does not aggravate your thumb. Don’t forget to do your other hand. Over time, you will notice strength in your grip. Then it will be easier to open a jar, hold a magazine, or sign your name!

Photo credits: thinveil.net (Creative Commons); L.E. Lang collection

The Cup of Wrath

Imagine yourself having to drink an entire glass of something you don’t care for. (How about that awful mixture you have to drink before a colonoscopy – all 64 ounces of it?) Bitter wine is a word picture used in the Old Testament of the Bible for God’s wrath – His punishment – which those who have disobeyed must “drink.” Psalm 75:8 says “For a cup is in the hand of the Lord, and the wine foams; It is well mixed, and He pours out of this; Surely all the wicked of the earth must drain and drink down its dregs.”

In Biblical times, wine was the beverage of choice because water was often in short supply or was impure. When Moses sent spies to check out the land of Canaan and they came back carrying a huge cluster of grapes, (Numbers 13:23) this was a promising sign for wine-making. Many passages in the Bible speak of vineyards, wine presses, wineskins, and drinking wine. Jesus turned water into wine as His first miracle at a wedding in Cana (John 2:1-11), and wine was the new covenant in Jesus blood at the last supper with His disciples. (Luke 22:20)

Used as a drink, a medicine for wounds (Luke 10:34), with sacrifices (Exodus 29:40, for example), or as a remedy for digestive ailments (1 Timothy 5:23), wine certainly played a prominent role in middle-Eastern culture. And that’s why, when the Hebrews heard the warning about having to drink bitter wine, they could easily relate to it. Likewise, when Jesus prayed to God in the Garden of Gethsemane, “Abba! (which means “Daddy!”) Father! All things are possible for you; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will." (Mark 14:36), He was referring to the “cup of wrath,” the punishment He would “drink” on behalf of the entire world. This was a punishment Jesus did not deserve at all (since He never sinned), but He accepted from God, His Father. He took the punishment (the cup of wrath) in our place. “By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” (Hebrews 10:10)

Would you drink a whole cup of bitter wine (or some other unpleasant drink, maybe orange juice that has gone bad) for someone else, so they would not have to? Likely it would have to be someone you care a great deal for, for you to do it. That is how much Jesus loves and cares for each of us. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

Before we enjoy the chocolate bunnies, brunch, family gatherings, baskets of candy-filled plastic eggs, Easter bonnets and new clothes, let’s not lose sight of the bitter cup of punishment that Jesus drank in our place.

So Jesus said to Peter, “Put the sword into the sheath, the cup which the Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?” John `18:11


Whether it is wine or any other beverage, when you drink something, you are bending your arm and using your biceps (the muscle group on the front of your upper arm). We will work on the back of the arm another week. Bicep curls can be easily done anywhere using common objects from around your home.

A water bottle or can from your pantry work well as light weights, but if you are just beginning to strengthen your arms, you can do this without holding anything. You may sit or stand, and start with your arms straight down at your sides, keeping your upper arm and elbow next to your body.

Slowly bend your elbow to bring your hands upward, counting to four as you do so. (See the photo at left.) Hold for a moment and slowly lower to the start position, again counting to four. Your shoulders should be down, away from your ears the entire time. If you have any pain, stop. And if you are unsure about whether this exercise is appropriate for you, ask your physician.

Do four or five reps when you are first starting, and build up to ten or 12. You may do this with your palms facing outward, then repeat the set with your palms facing inward, and again with your palms facing down. This will target the three different muscles on the upper arm. You may perform bicep curls three times per week. But wait a day or two between sessions.

If this exercise is too easy, then it is time to increase the weight. You may graduate to a heavier weight, such as a jug of laundry detergent or milk. (A gallon of milk weighs slightly over eight pounds.) Hand weights can be found at very reasonable prices at Target, Walmart and sporting goods stores.

When holding a heavier weight, be sure to keep a straight line from your elbow to your knuckles, as shown in the photo at right.(In other words, do not bend your wrist.)

Arm curls can be combined with squats or done one arm at a time while on the phone, or with both arms while sitting and watching tv. It will not be long before you notice increased strength in your arms.