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thejenkinscountytimes.com The Jenkins County Times Friday, March 3, 2023 - Page 3
Words of
Encouragement
By Joshua Johnson, Special Contributor
for
The Times
Pastor Oak Hill
Baptist Church, Millen
James 3:8-10
“But the tongue can no
man tame; it is an unruly
evil, full of deadly poi
son. Therewith bless we
God, even the father; and
therewith curse we men,
which are made after the
similitude of God. Out of
the same mouth proceed-
eth blessing and cursing.
My brethren, these things
ought not so to be.”
I heard a story about a
certain father and son who
were out replacing some
siding on their old bam.
As they lifted each slat into
place the father would hold
the board in place the son
would hammer in the nails.
The son was not watching
what he was doing, missed
the nail, and stmck the
son with great force on his
thumb.
At that he let out a curse
word, shaking his hand as
uitfaitk
Pastor Jordan Clayton
Senior pastor at
East Burke Baptist Church in Sardis.
the pain throbbed. After a
few moments the pain be
gan to subside and the son
apologized to his father for
using such language in h is
presence. The father sat the
boy down and explained
that he had been overhear
ing his son use foul lan
guage quite a bit.
The wise father told the
boy to spend the next few
months trying not to curse.
Every time he felt like curs
ing, he should drive a nail
into the side of the bam.
After a few months the
father and son revisited the
bam to survey the results
of the exercise. There were
twenty-one nails driven
into the board. “Now,” the
father said, “pull out all the
nails and make the board
look perfect again.” The
son pulled out the nails,
patched the holes, sanded
it smooth and then painted.
Feeling pleased with him
self, the son went in search
of his father.
“Look Dad, the board is
perfect!”
“No son, the holes are still
there. They are just hidden
from sight by caulking and
paint. Our words are just
like these nails in a person’s
heart. Cmel words leave a
hole in our heart, just like
these nails did. The hold is
always there, just hidden
from sight.”
The father explained that
once words have been spo
ken, they can never be tak
en back. The damage has
been done. Dear Friend, I
ask you to examine your
words and the effect they
have on others. Let us ask
God to help us be an en
couragement to others in
stead of putting holes in
their heart.
BIBLE REBINDING
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(912|«-639
125 North Man Str«t. Sylvama Georgia 30467
“Table Time”
Acts 2:46 - “Every day
they devoted themselves
to meeting together in the
temple, and broke bread
from house to house. They
ate their food with joyful
and sincere hearts... ’’
I remember my first date
with my wife, Lauren. In
May of 2012, I took her
to Dublin, GA to eat at my
favorite Italian restaurant,
Deano’s. We sat across
the table from each other
and nervously navigated
a get to know you
conversation. Thankfully
that conversation and first
date led to other dates,
and then marriage. Almost
every date we went on
involved eating - sitting at
a table and talking as we
shared a meal.
God created us for
intimate, personal
relationships. He created us
for a vertical relationship,
with Himself, and for
horizontal relationships,
with others. We all have
many relationships in
our lives, from work, to
neighbors, to the grocery
checkout line, but how
many of our relationships
are personal and intimate?
Relationships grow through
time spent together,
through conversation and
shared experiences. One of
the tools God gave us for
growing relationships is
the table.
In the verse shared
above. Acts 2:46, it speaks
of the growing early
church. One of the ways
we see them growing is
by “breaking bread from
house to house”. They were
experiencing “table time”
together. “Table time” is
intentionally gathering
around a table for a shared
meal. Our culture today
is not good at table time.
Our exodus from the table
and a shared family meal
began with the introduction
of the TV, TV dinners,
and TV trays, and has
now accelerated to busy
schedules, WiFi, and smart
phones.
In 2023, can I challenge
you to intentionally pursue
more table time? We need
to be more intentional
about table time in three
areas of our life this year:
family table time, friendly
table time, and faith table
time.
Family table time is
when the family at home
gathers around the table.
The table is a place for
daily communication that
leads to unity in the family.
A shared meal around the
table may be the only time
your family is together all
day. When seated around
the table, family schedules
get in sync, expectations
from Dad and Mom are
established, the day’s
events get shared. Pastor
Tony Evans has said
that we need to be more
concerned about what’s
happening in our house,
than what is happening in
the White House.
Friendly table time is
when you share a meal
with another individual
or family for the purpose
of intentional relationship
building. God created
us for relationships with
others. As Christians we
are commanded by Jesus
to make disciples, and
discipleship involves
doing life together. Jesus
did much of His ministry
around a table. In fact. He
was even accused by the
religious leaders of His
day of eating with sinners!
Is there a neighbor you
can invite over to share a
meal with? A co-worker?
Another family in your
neighborhood or church?
Faith table time is table
time with your church
family. If you are not
involved with a church
family, you need to begin
to seek one out today. Get
on google, and search for
a Bible teaching church in
your area and go visit it.
Make a choice to attend, get
involved, serve, and invest
in that church. “Breaking
Bread” in Acts 2:46 refers
to the fact that the early
church always celebrated
the Lord’s Supper when
they ate together. They
did this when they
shared a meal because of
persecution - they didn't
know when they would see
each other again. One of
the tmths that the Lord’s
Supper reminds us of is
that we are to “make every’
effort to keep the unity of
the Spirit through the bond
of peace. There is one body
and one Spirit—just as you
were called to one hope at
your calling— one Lord,
one faith, one baptism,
one God and of all, who
is above all and through
all and in all. ’’ (Ephesians
4:3-6). The Lord’s Supper
reminds us of why we love
each other in the church -
because we love Jesus first.
Table time builds
relationships, turns faces,
minds, and hearts toward
each other, and promotes
unity. We need more Table
Time in 2023. Will you
be more intentional about
Table Time in 2023?
Help visitors find you! List
your church in the directory>
for six months $60 or
one year $120
Call: (912) 451-NEWS or
478-401-5007 M-T-F
This section is a complimentary service for
Jenkins County and surrounding area churches
listed in the Church Directory. We will run your
church news for two weeks. Email announcements
to jenkinscountytimes@gmail.com or drop them off
at our office Tuesday, Thurday or Friday at 425 Hwy
25 S., Millen, GA.
Our deadline is noon on Fridays for the following week.
East Burke Baptist Church
Sunday Services 11 a.m.
Pastor: Jordan Clayton
Hwy 24 Sardis, GA
Please call 706-526-1733 for
more information.
Millen Baptist Church
Come join us!!
Morning Worship
8:30AM & 11AM
Sunday School 10 a.m.
219 N. Gray St, Millen, GA
478-982-5411
Pastor Brad Asbury
pastorbradasbury@gmail.com
Oak Hill Baptist Church
Sunday School: 9 a.m.
Sunday Morning: 10 a.m.
Wednesday: 7 p.m.
Choir practice - Bible Study
Youth Group -
Kids Mission Group
3233 Oak Hill Church Rd„
Millen, GA 30442
Pastor: Joshua Johnson
478-982-1616
www.oakhillmillen.com
Trinity Episcopal Church
4401 Country Club Rd,
Statesboro, GA
Sunday Eucharist
8:15 a.m. and 10:30a.m.
Father Charles Todd, Rector
Jonathan Murphy, Music Director.
912-489-4208
www.facebook.comTrinityEpiscopalStatesboro
Q 478-401-0495
w
o) 513 Cotton Ave
Millen, Ga
Shana Brinson
BRINSON (»
Iimw&Afywy, Ini. ~
MuiMI BUOG lOTCtt Kayla Shuman
gf Auto Insurance 0 Home Insurance
gf Life Insurance gf Health Insurance
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w insurance w supplements
& Title Bonds gf AFLAC Products
@ www.brinsoninsurance.net
Hey readers! Want to celebrate
your friends, family, coworkers'
birthday? Send us their photo and
a brief birthday wish the week
before the birthday and they will
be in the paper! They could win
a cupcake from 4 and 20 Bakery
in Sylvania!
