We are kept by the power of almighty God. He gives His angels charge over us to keep us in all our ways. Because we fear Him He sends His angel to stand between us and the enemy.

More than that, the Lord uses the trouble, the affliction, the persecution, for our good. God turns every obstacle into a stepping stone for each person who places his faith in God's Word, in God's faithfulness.

Christ makes our bed in our sickness and affliction. Sometimes we miss a major opportunity to increase our understanding and possession of Christ because we fight against what He is doing in our life.

We become so intent on being delivered, on being healed, on bringing our circumstances into line with what we believe to be God's will for us, that we do not profit from the hour of testing. We do not observe or understand the Lord as He "makes our bed." We are so busy saving ourselves with our religious formulas that we cannot see what Christ is doing.

God is the God of the mountains and also of the valleys. There are blessings on the mountains and also in the valleys, if we will watch for them.

The troubles and calamities that come upon the world, as well as the immorality, violence, perversion, drunkenness, and sorcery turn out to be our greatest opportunities for turning men and women, boys and girls, toward Christ. We are to watch in prayer for the open doors that continually are being placed before us.

There is no water that Christ cannot turn into wine, into joy, into blessing. There is no suffering that Christ cannot use as a means for expressing His eternal, incorruptible resurrection life.

There is no persecution, no affliction, that He cannot transform into a revelation of glory.

There is no temptation to sin that the Lord cannot employ to strengthen our armor against sin, to teach us warfare, and to give us insight into our own personality. All things work for good for us, all things conform us to Christ's moral image, all things make us the brothers of Christ, when we keep the word of His patience.

Enormous and terrible uproars are coming upon the earth in association with the increase of lawlessness. These will increase in violence, fierceness, and intensity as we approach the coming of Christ. But Christ walks on all of these commotions as on solid ground. He always sits as King of the flood. If we choose to place our faith in Him, patiently keeping His word, we too will be enabled to walk on all of the waters of testing and tribulation.

How wonderful and glorious it is to realize we always are kept by the power of God. Let famine, war, persecution come as they will. The saints are kept under Divine guard so none of these troubles can harm or move them in any manner whatever.

The angel of the Lord is encamped around every person who fears God. We continually are being delivered from all that would separate us from Christ's love. We shall not fear though the mountains should be removed and cast into the sea; though all law and order be destroyed and self-seeking mankind take over the rule of the world.

To be continued.