NO PAIN NO GAIN

Philippians 1:21 "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.".  Paul writes this to remind those that while he is alive he is here for Christ.  To serve Him and to share the gospel about Him.  This to me is the Journey..  Then he states that "TO DIE IS GAIN".  Wow, we spend our lives thinking about eternity, but yet we realize as we selfishly lose those around us to illness, accidents, and struggles; that death hurts our physical and weak human selves.  We were born to die!  Why, because we are here to serve and then to celebrate our lives here as we approach the King of Kings.  Now the challenge comes to planning the journey.  Are we spending too much time looking at our atlas and maps and GPS to figure out how to get there? Or are we using God's word, walking in obedience and following what we are given by Christ, to prepare ourselves for the destination.  The Gain.  He suffered earthly Pain to enable us to have eternal Gain.  Thank you Jesus for Your sacrifice, because without your Pain, we would have no Gain.