In this message we shall cover several more items of God’s work in His new dispensation, and then we shall go on to consider God’s work in eternity future.
God cares for the believers and guards them; He also makes a way out of trials for them. Concerning God’s caring for the believers, 1 Peter 5:7 says, “Casting all your anxiety on Him, because it matters to Him concerning you.” The word “casting” here means throwing upon, that is, committing to, giving up to. The verb denotes a once-for-all act. The words “all your anxiety” indicate that the whole lot of our anxiety throughout our entire life, our whole life with all its anxiety, should be cast on God. We need to learn how to throw the burden of our anxiety upon God. Although the verb “casting” indicates a once-for-all act, because we are weak, we may need to cast our anxieties upon God again and again.
The reason we may cast all our anxiety on God is that “it matters to Him” concerning us. The words “it matters to Him concerning you” may also be rendered, “He cares for you.” God has a loving concern for the believers, especially the persecuted ones. Because He cares for them faithfully, they can cast their care upon Him, especially in their persecution.
In Philippians 4:7 Paul says, “The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.” The Greek word translated “guard” here may also be rendered “mount guard over.” The God of peace patrols, or stands guard, before our hearts and thoughts in Christ. The heart is the source, and the thoughts are the issue. The peace of God guards both our hearts and our thoughts. This means that in Christ Jesus the peace of God patrols as a guard who goes back and forth before our hearts and thoughts. The peace of God which patrols within our inner being in such a way keeps us calm and tranquil. Even though we may have many troubles and much anxiety, nothing will disturb us. The peace of God infused into us keeps us calm even as it guards us.
Jude 24 speaks of God as the One “who is able to guard you from stumbling, and to set you before His glory without blemish in exultation.” Here the writer indicates clearly that although he has charged the believers to endeavor in the things mentioned in verses 20 through 23, yet only God our Savior is able to guard them from stumbling and to set them before His glory without blemish in exultation.
First Corinthians 10:13 tells us that God provides a way out of temptation for the believers: “No temptation has taken you except that which is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not let you be tempted beyond what you are able, but will with the temptation make also the way out, that you may be able to endure it.” God in His faithfulness will not allow any temptation to befall us beyond what we are able to endure, but will always make a way out for us. Paul’s word is both a comfort and a correction. We may think that temptations are too strong to be resisted. But Paul says that no temptation has taken us except that which is common to man. He also assures us that God is faithful and will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able to bear, but with the temptation will provide a way out so that we may be able to endure it. This is a word of promise and encouragement.
In 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, the Apostle Paul blessed God as the God of all encouragement, who encourages him and his co-workers in all their afflictions, that they may be able to encourage the afflicted ones through the encouragement with which they are encouraged by Him. Further, in 2 Corinthians 7:6, he considered God as the One who encourages those who are cast down, and this God has encouraged him and his co-workers, even by the coming of Titus. Encouragement is slightly different from comfort and consolation, with the sense of cheering. It indicates that God not only comforts and consoles us, but also cheers us, making us happy with His goodness. This is also one of God’s kind works in us.
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