FROM THE PASTOR

First of all, I want to say a great big THANK YOU to the following Pastors who filled the pulpit while Pam and I were enjoying some down time: Tony Handy, Daniel Kline, Oretta Andrews, Vic Caruso and David Childers. I heard that all of you were superb as you stood behind the sacred desk and we say ‘To God be all the glory!’

Today we will embark on a study of the great letter from Paul written to the people in Colossae, because this will help us keep our focus this Fall on just how supreme Jesus really is over the chaos and confusion we have in our world. This study will help us to focus on the stability, the security and the peace of heaven which is already ours ‘in Christ Jesus.’

The term ‘in Christ’ or ‘in Him’ is used by the Apostle Paul a staggering 164 times in all of his letters, and 19 times in Colossians alone. If you identify yourself as being ‘in Christ,’ according to the way Paul wrote in the Greek in 2 Corinthians 5:17, then you are currently “having been forgiven” of all sin by His grace, and you are currently “having been passed through the end time judgment.”

Do you have any idea what this means? The verb translated “has come” describes the transformative, irreversible change that has already begun for those who are ‘in Christ,’ and it will be accomplished and completely fulfilled in the Kingdom of God through the work of Yeshua Ha Meshiach, our Messiah Jesus!

Are we eternally secure? You are if you just stay with it, continue in the faith, and refuse to ever give up on your walk with Jesus. One thing I can tell you personally about how I have grown in grace—I’m no longer eternally insecure!

We love you, it’s nice to be back home,

Pastor Randy & Pam