2Cor. 5:4-6

TO DIE IS GAIN - (Phil.1:21)

The death of God's saints is precious in his sight because God does not see things the way we do. 'The Lord seeth not as man seeth.' It is difficult for us to talk about death being precious because everything we see and know is limited by our experience here. God sees things as they really are. He knows that for his saints death is not a loss in any sense at all, but only great gain (Phil.1:21). Death for us is not a penalty, but a promotion. Death is not the end of life, but the beginning. 'To die is gain,' says Paul. To lose a weak, mortal body is to gain an immortal, everlastingly strong body. To leave this world of sin is to enter the heavenly world of perfect righteousness. To drop this house of clay is to enter our house not made with hands in Immanuel's glory land. To leave this temporary state is to enter an eternal state. To leave this world of sorrow is to enter the world of endless, heavenly bliss with Christ. 'To die is gain'!

Pastor Don Fortner (1950-2020)

HOW SHOULD I PRAY?

Believers often find it difficult to pray “for we know not what we should pray for as we ought.” (Rom. 8:26) In this time of pandemic (and really at all times) I Thessalonians 5:16-18 gives us a very good three fold instruction on prayer.

1. “Rejoice evermore” Don’t fall into the trap of only praying to ask the Lord for things. When you pray rejoice in Christ the Savior. Rejoice in His love for His people. Rejoice in the forgiveness of sin in Christ. Rejoice in righteousness and peace with God in Christ. Rejoice that nothing is an accident that is out of the control of our God. Rejoice that everything that happens is the express will and purpose of our God and that He is working all things “together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.” (Rom 8:28)
2. “Pray without ceasing” Pray always, about all things. Don’t wait until you think you have all the right words to say before you pray. When you pray pour out your heart as a child talks to a loving father. Our Father knows the hearts of His children. Our Father hears and understands the cries of His children. So communicate with your Father by prayer at all times, about everything.
3. “In everything give thanks” Make thanksgiving a large part of prayer. A good prayer can be a prayer where we ask for nothing and only praise the Lord and give thanks to Him. Give thanks for everything. Give thanks for salvation and forgiveness. Give thanks for the opportunity to worship and hear the gospel preached. Give thanks for God given faith and understanding. Give thanks for happiness and for the sorrow the Lord sends. FOR – here is the reason to give thanks for everything – “this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

Pastor Frank Tate

Complete In Christ

“For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power” (Col. 2:9-10).

All that is necessary to secure and to complete our eternal salvation is to be found in the Lord Jesus Christ (Phil.3:7-9; 4:19). There is a completion or a complete filling up in Him, so as to leave nothing lacking in the sinner. In the Lord Jesus Christ dwells all the fullness of God (John 1:16). He is perfect and the believer stands perfected in Him (1Cor. 1:30; Col. 1:22). All that is lacking in us by our ruin and sin in Adam is abundantly, freely and eternally supplied to us in the Lord Jesus Christ, "Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound" (Rom. 5:19-20).

Christ’s perfect obedience is our righteousness (Phil. 2:7-8). His sacrifice for sin is our atonement (Heb. 2:17). His word is our instruction (2Tim. 3:16). His wisdom is our direction (Col. 2:3). His power is our protection (1Peter 1:5). His blood sacrifice is our justification (Rom. 5:9). His grace is our salvation (Rom. 3:24). His eternal love is our security (Rom. 8:32-39). His everlasting mercy is our hope (Lam. 3:22-26; Titus 3:5). His fullness is our completeness (John 1:16). His immutability is our strength (Mal. 3:6; Heb. 13:8). His resurrection is the guarantee of our final glory (Rom. 4:25; Rev. 1:18). His intercession is the assurance of all our deliverance from sin (1 Tim. 2:5;1 John 2:1).