True Prayer

I read something once about prayer that helped me. “God weighs your prayer, not by quantity but by quality, not by the outward dress and eloquent words but by the inner soul and the intense sincerity and earnestness that is in them.”

Have you sometimes lifted up your eyes from a time of prayer, whether public or private, and thought, “I do not think I did much good with that prayer,” or “what a pitiful effort I made?” Most likely, those prayers which we think the least of are the most acceptable to God.

When we feel satisfied or glory in our prayer, in all probability God will have nothing to do with it. If you see any beauty in your prayer, God will not; for you evidently were looking at your grace and not His! Pastor Henry T. Mahan (Bulletin Article 1984)

“We Preach Christ”

“But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness” (1 Cor.1:23).

Of course the Apostle didn’t stand and say, “Christ, Christ, Christ,”

but Christ was the sum and substance of all he preached. Everything he preached was because of Christ and in Christ and for Christ. Christ was the head and body, the beginning and ending of all Paul preached.

When Paul preached creation he preached Christ for by him were all things created (Col.16). When Paul preached election he preached Christ because we are chosen in him (Eph.1:4). When he preached redemption he preached Christ because redemption is by him; “By himself he purged our sins” (Heb.1:3). When Paul preached calling he preached Christ because we are called to him (John.6:37). When he preached perseverance he preached Christ for it is in him that we walk (Col.2:6) and to him that we look as we run the race set before us (Heb.12:1-2). When Paul preached the death of the saint he preached Christ because blessed are they that die in the Lord (Rev.14:13). When Paul preached the resurrection of the dead he preached Christ by whose voice the dead will be raised (John.5:28-29). When He preached the believer’s hope he preached Christ who shall change our vile bodies and fashion it like unto his glorious body (Phil.3:20-21). When he preached the endless ages to come he preached Christ for we shall ever be with the Lord (1 Thess.4:17).

We cannot preach anything before Christ because he is before all things (Col.1:17).We cannot preach anything after Christ for he is the end of all things; there is nothing after him (Rev.1:8). We cannot preach the eternal and perfect attributes of God without preaching Christ for in him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; Christ is the fullness of all the eternal God is (Col.2:9). “It pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell” (Col.1:19).

We cannot think or speak or preach too highly or too often of Jesus Christ. He is worthy of our absolute trust and he is such a Savior who will never disappoint those who put their trust in him.

Pastor Bruce Crabtree

“HE CARETH FOR YOU!”

“Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you” (I Peter 5:7).

For that child of God who is laboring under some present distress, there are no words sweeter than these , "He careth for you!" He cares

for your soul. He cares so much that he gave his only begotten Son to

redeem you from sin and supply you with every spiritual need. Surely, if Jesus Christ died to redeem your soul from death, you must know his great care. Not only is that so, the Lord God tenderly cares for the bodies and the concerns of the lives of his people. Do you believe that He cares? Then cast your care upon the Lord! Are you troubled about your sin? Cast it upon the Lord. Are you troubled about some personal trial? Cast it upon the Lord. He was tempted in all points like as we are. He is touched with the feeling of our infirmities. He is able to help them that believe. Go, therefore, with your heavy burden to the throne of your merciful High Priest, cast your burden there and find grace and mercy to help in your time of need. Pastor Don Fortner

A Bloody Warrior

“Who is this that cometh from Edom with dyed garments from Bozrah”? (Isaiah. 63:1).

Bozrah (fortress) was a city in Edom. Edom was the land inhabited by the descendants of Esau. Esau is clearly a picture of everything which is at enmity with God. The Lord Jesus Christ came into the world to set the captives free. The gates of hell could not prevail against Him. He invaded the fortress of Satan to deliver His people.