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Nugget 12 An Immutable God and Eternal Contract February 1983 When the storms of life are raging Chorus: He will hide me safely hide me Enemies may strive to injure So while here the cross I'm bearing The words of this old song remind us of the contract we have with Our God who never changes. It is absolutely difficult, at times, for the human mind to accept the Word of the Lord for what it is, and really apply it to each and every situation. For instance, "Glory in (our) tribulations," Romans 5:3. Just think of the instances when being compassed by circumstances that seem unto death. It appears virtually impossible to rejoice at times; oh, sure, but the key to the whole concept is the preceding phrase: "Rejoice in hope of the glory," which in plain words means to REJOICE IN THE LORD, WHO IS OUR ONLY HOPE AND DELIVERANCE. Nothing that we can muster will bring deliverance out of trouble, because HE is our joy, strength and help. Therefore, we must live in this joy, this strength, in order to overcome discouragement and despair. HE WHO IS OUR SAVIOUR, OUR STRENGTH, WILL RENEW. LOOK EVER TO JESUS, HE WILL CARRY YOU THROUGH. God has given, threugh Jesus, every spiritual blessmg in the heavenlies. "...Shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" Romans 8:32. Be not cast down. He is our refuge and our fortress - our hiding place. Can you imagine Him sitting in despair or discouragement? Oh no! He is COURAGE, LIFE, JOY and STRENGTH. How wonderful to know He came to give us HIS LIFE. How many Christians forfeit their blessings when they fail to live in His Joy, His Peace, His strength, etc? Only then can we rejoice in tribulation, because it is "not I, BUT CHRIST." PRAISE GOD FOR SUCH DIVINE FAVOR. Never forfeit this for anything. No persecution, no peril, no tribulation, nor the sword nor anything. Though the enemy tries to get one to be offended at God's dealings in one's life, the thought of God's everlasting covenant written in the blood of Jesus Christ His Son gives inner peace - that peace that enabled Jesus to sleep through the storm, caused His enemies to fall backwards at His word, and caused Him to disappear out of their midst when they contemplated evil towards Him. Such inner fortitude, courage, strength (and) complete trust in the Father's will comes through faith in the blood of Jesus Christ. This is the peace and strength HE gives. Though the waves beat high and the tempest sweeps over the soul, let this inner PEACE AND STRENGTH be our fortification. Surely, in the world there is tribulation and trouble of great magnitude, but He has overcome the world, made peace through the cross (the troubles and trials), that all who trust Him might find PEACE IN THE MIDST OF THE STORMS, AND JOY IN THE MIDST OF SORROW. Never lose sight of the fact that this everlasting Covenant of the Sovereign God dispenses Grace and brings security. How wonderful a thought that man does not have to contribute to the agency by which God's promises are fulfilled. By FAITH, Abraham (according to God's promises) sought a city. His hope and confidence in an everlasting, prayer-hearing, and covenant-keeping God never wavered a bit. BY FAITH, they all struggled down the corridors of time, fulfilling their different roles in God's operation. Then Jesus came: opened wide the veil, ushering in that New Covenant in His Blood - His life for our lives - Praise God - joint heirs with Him in this world and in the world to come. According to this covenant, His overcoming has opened wide the way for us to overcome by faith. This knowledge of God, and the assurance of this contract (what He has done) is separate and apart from us or anything that can be achieved or acquired by any human effort or good will - i.e., Abraham - Hebrews 6:13. A KNOWLEDGE BY FAITH. In spite of the circumstances, there is the knowledge that HE IS. The knowledge and assurance must be so settled, (anchored in the soul, hidden in the heart) that when troubles arise, out of this stored treasure, one can draw strength. Job said: "I know that my Redeemer liveth. Though he slay me" - he was not just then receiving that knowledge; no - he reached deep down into his soul and brought forth that living, hidden treasure of assurance. That assurance undoubtedly was his anchor through that stormy period of his life. He had been receiving a lot of discouraging words from his friends, and even his wife had no comfort for him. It seemed like heaven was shut to him; everything was against him; worms were eatmg away his flesh. He did not rush to the doctors and the pharmacists (sorcerers) of his day for help, but out of a knowledge born of God, he cried "I KNOW THAT MY REDEEMER LIVETH." This was not an utterance born out of mental calculations, neither of the seeing of the eyes nor the hearing of the ears, but from the deep-rooted, grounded, and settled fact of the IMMUTABILITY OF GOD - the knowledge of His unchangeableness. All the promises culminate in Jesus, and our salvation is secured in HIS BLOOD. Thus, we experience a transformation by which we are conformed to His image. This is God's highest level of achievement - I WILL BE YOUR GOD AND YOU SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.
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