Isaiah 43:1-2 (NKJV) But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: ” Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you.”
Proverbs 23:7 (NKJV) For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.
Romans 8:35-39 (NKJV) Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: ” For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
These two passages talked about the faithfulness of God and His everlasting love for His people, the Jews and the Christians. God was faithful to His covenant partners, the Jews and delivered them from the hands of the Egyptians, their oppressor. He dealt with Pharaoh, did all kinds of miracles and journeyed with them day and night through the pillar of fire and cloud. He opened up the Red Sea for them when they were being pursued by the Egyptians and fought for them when they abided by His laws and statutes. He is a personal God who knows us by name and has redeemed both Israel and the people of the world. It gives us great security in life when we know that God is with us! He assured them that He will be with them in all situation and environment. He didn’t change.
If God is such a faithful God to the Israelites based on an old covenant with flaws, how much more God will be with us when we are in a new covenant established on better promises? He has already assured us that He will never leave us or forsake us. His love for us will never change. God is our redeemer. It is very assuring when He has gone to the extent of establishing the Abraham covenant and the Mosaic covenant with the Jews. If He has gone to such extent to show forth His love for us and sending His only begotten son to die for us, He will not allow His love to depart from us in all kinds of circumstances regardless whether it is tribulation, trials, nakedness, needs, famines, sicknesses or any form of danger. In fact, He has dealt with the sin issue by nailing Jesus on the cross that neither death nor life will be able to separate us because we will spend eternity with Him even though we die! This has to be our conviction in the face of danger or any kinds of challenges in life!
Therefore, we deal with the cares and anxieties by meditating on the word of truth so that peace that guards our heart and mind will remain with us! We have to guard the seed, water it and trust that it will grow in our hearts.
Philippians 4:6-9 (NKJV) Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy, meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
This is a good teaching by the Apostle Paul on how to deal with anxiety. Paul emphasized on practicing what we have learnt, heard and received which is the same as hearing, receiving and accepting the truth. We need to pray and make known to God regarding whatever we are going through in life. Thereafter the key to experiencing the thirty, sixty and hundred-fold of God’s peace in our lives is to meditate on His word.
Choose to praise God based on Isaiah 43 and Romans 8 that He is a faithful and loving God. Meditate on this that He is faithful and good. Meditate that God has no favorites. If He has journeyed with the Israelites when they cried out to Him during their time of oppression by delivering and redeeming them, He will do the same thing for you! Meditate on the truth that nothing will separate you from God’s love and that His eyes are on the righteous. These are of good report, true, pure, lovely and just. When we begin to meditate and keep the word that has been sown into our hearts, the devil cannot steal anything from us using tribulation and persecution. We will rest in God’s love, peace and joy!
Sermon series: There is power in the seed
安息在祂的慈爱，平安和喜乐中
以赛亚书 43:1-2 雅各啊，创造你的耶和华，以色列啊，造成你的那位，现在如此说：你不要害怕！因为我救赎了你。我曾提你的名召你，你是属我的。你从水中经过，我必与你同在；你趟过江河，水必不漫过你；你从火中行过，必不被烧，火焰也不着在你身上。
罗马书 8:35-39 谁能使我们与基督的爱隔绝呢？难道是患难吗？是困苦吗？是逼迫吗？是饥饿吗？是赤身露体吗？是危险吗？是刀剑吗？如经上所记：我们为你的缘故终日被杀；人看我们如将宰的羊。然而，靠着爱我们的主，在这一切的事上已经得胜有余了。因为我深信无论是死，是生，是天使，是掌权的，是有能的，是现在的事，是将来的事，是高处的，是低处的，是别的受造之物，都不能叫我们与神的爱隔绝；这爱是在我们的主基督耶稣里的。
这两段经文谈到神的信实，以及祂对祂的百姓以色列民和信徒们那永恒的爱。神以祂的信实对待祂的盟约伙伴以色列民，祂将他们从逼迫他们的埃及人手中拯救出来。祂用了各种神迹与法老周旋，用火柱和云柱昼夜与他们同行。当他们被埃及的军队追赶时神为他们将红海断开，当他们遵守祂的律法和诫命时神为祂们而战。祂知道我们的名字，祂是我们个人的救主，祂拯救以色列及世上的万民。当我们知道神与我们同在的时候，我们的生命就会有极大的安全感。祂向他们保证不论任何境况祂都与他们同在。神从不改变。
如果神据于建立在一个有瑕疵的旧盟约，尚且对以色列民还如此的信实，那么当我们在一个更美好的应许之上的新盟约时，神岂不是会更多地与我们在一起吗？神已向我们保证，祂总不撇下我们，也不丢弃我们。祂的慈爱永不改变。神是我们的救赎主。这在祂与以色列民建立亚伯拉罕之约和摩西之约时，就非常明确了。既然祂已全然表露祂的爱，甚至将祂的独生爱子赐下，为我们舍命，祂绝不允许任何事物将我们与祂的爱隔绝，无论是患难，是试探，是赤身露体，是缺乏，是饥饿，是疾病或任何形式的危险，神都不允许他的爱与我们隔绝。事实上，借着主耶稣基督被钉死在十字架上，祂为我们解决了罪的问题，所以不论是生是死都不能使我们与神分开，即使我们死了，我们也会与神在永恒里相遇。 当我们生活中面临危险或任何挑战时，这必须成为我们的信念。
箴言 23:7 因为他心怎样思量，他为人就是怎样。
因此，我们借着默想神的真理来面对担心忧虑，让平安来保守我们的心思意念！我们一定要保护这种子，浇灌它，并相信它会在我们心中生长。
腓立比书 4:6-9 应当一无挂虑，只要凡事藉着祷告、祈求，和感谢，将你们所要的告诉神。神所赐、出人意外的平安必在基督耶稣里保守你们的心怀意念。弟兄们，我还有未尽的话：凡是真实的、可敬的、公义的、清洁的、可爱的、有美名的，若有什么德行，若有什么称赞，这些事你们都要思念。你们在我身上所学习的，所领受的，所听见的，所看见的，这些事你们都要去行，赐平安的神就必与你们同在。
这是使徒保罗教导我们处理忧虑的秘诀。保罗强调我们要热心行出所学习的，所听到的和所领受的，就像当初我们听从、领受和接受真理的热心一样。不管生命中经历什么我们都需要祷告，将我们所要的告诉神。所以在我们生活中默想神的话语是我们能得到三十倍，六十倍和一百倍神的平安的关键所在。
让我们赞美神，按着赛亚书43章和罗马书8章祂是信实慈爱的神。默想祂是信实良善的神，默想神不偏待人。如果当年以色列民受逼迫时向祂呼求，祂就与他们同行将他们救赎出来，祂也会为你做同样的事。心中记住这个真理：没有任何事能使我们与神的爱隔绝，祂的眼目看顾义人。这些都是真实，纯洁，可爱和公正美好的宣告。当我们心中默想并让神的话根植于我们心中时，魔鬼就无法用患难和逼迫在我们之中行偷窃之事。我们将在神的慈爱，平安和喜乐中得到安息。
讲章系列: 种子大有能力
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