Hidden in Christ

                                        "O be persuaded to hide yourself in Christ Jesus!
                                         What greater assurance of safety can you desire?

                                          He has undertaken to defend and save you, if you
                                          will come to Him.  He looks upon it as His work;
                                          
                                          He engaged in it before the world was, and He has
                                          given His faithful promise which he will not break;

                                          and if you will but make your flight there, His life
                                          shall be for yours;

                                          He will answer for you, you shall have nothing to do
                                          but rest quietly in Him;

                                          you may stand still and see what the Lord will do for you.

                                          If there be any thing to suffer, the suffering is Christ's,
                                          you will have nothing to suffer;

                                          if there be anything to be done, the doing of it is Christ's
                                          you will have nothing to do but stand still and behold it."

                                                                                      Jonathan Edwards

                                                                     ************


                               " ... hide yourself in Christ Jesus ..."


                                                  "God is our refuge and strength,
                                                    an ever present help in trouble."
                                                                                  Psalm 46:1

                                                                          *****
                              "What greater assurance of safety can you desire?"


                                                 "Fear of man will prove to be a snare,
                                                  but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe."
                                                                                 Proverbs 29:25

                                                                         *****

                              "He ... defends and saves you, if you ... come to Him."


                                                 "He will defend the afflicted among the people
                                                  and save the children of the needy ..."
                                                                                  Psalm 72:4a

                                                 Jesus said,

                                                 "Everyone that the Father gives me will come to me,
                                                   and everyone who comes to me I will never drive
                                                   away."
                                                                                  John 6:37


                                                                            *****


                                  "He engaged in it (His work) before the world was ..."


                                                   " ... from the beginning God chose you to be
                                                     saved through the sanctifying work of the
                                                     Spirit and through belief in the truth."
                                                                                      2 Thessalonians 2:13


                                                                              *****


                                   "He has given His faithful promise ..."


                                                    " ... if you confess with your mouth,
                                                     'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your
                                                      heart that God raised Him from the
                                                      dead, you will be saved."
                                                                                    Romans 10:9


                                                                               *****


                                   "His life shall be yours ..."


                                                     " ... how much more, having been reconciled,
                                                       shall we be saved through His life!"
                                                                                          Romans 5:10b


                                                                               *****


                                    " ... rest quietly in Him ..."

                                                    Jesus said,

                                                       "All things have been committed to me
                                                        by my Father.  No one knows the Son
                                                        except the Father, and no one knows the
                                                        Father except the Son and those to whom
                                                        the Son chooses to reveal Him."
              
                                                        Come to me, all you who are weary and
                                                        burdened, and I will give you rest."
                                                                                       Matthew 11:27-28


                                                                              *****


                                     " ... the suffering is Christ's, you will have nothing to suffer."


                                                        "Praise be to the God and Father of our
                                                         Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion
                                                         and the God of all comfort, who comforts us
                                                         in all our troubles, so that we can comfort
                                                         those in any trouble with the comfort we
                                                         ourselves have received from God.

                                                         For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over
                                                         into our lives, so also through Christ our
                                                         comfort overflows."
                                                                                                2 Corinthians 1:3-5


                                                                              *****


                                       " ... you will have nothing to do but stand still
                                         and behold it."


                                                        "Be still and know that I am God;
                                                          I will be exalted among the nations,
                                                          I will be exalted in the earth."
                                                                                                Psalm 46:10


                                                         " ... I looked and saw the glory of the LORD
                                                           filling the temple of the LORD, and I
                                                           fell facedown."
                                                                                                 Ezekiel 44:4b