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thejenkinscountytimes.com
The Jenkins County Times
Friday, May 26, 2023 - Page 3
Pastor Bill Kent,
Memorial Baptist Church
Sylvania, GA
The Dangers
of Envy
Pete and Penny had a
wonderful life, but they
didn't know it. They
lived in a small house in
a quiet community. They
loved each other and after
fifteen years of marriage,
they had three healthy
children, a car and a truck
that were reliable and all
four of their parents were
still living. They could
have been very happy, but
they were always thinking
about how the family on
Donehoo Street went on
vacations to Colorado in
the winter and Florida
in the summer. Though
they had everything they
needed, envy soured their
outlook and caused them
unnecessary stress.
King Saul was the first
king of Israel. Fie was
taller than anybody else
in his nation, blessed with
a good family and moved
from poverty to wealth
when he was anointed
king. He could have
had a long, prosperous
kingdom but he refused
to be content because
he craved the attention
and accomplishments
of David. When some
claimed David was
a better soldier, Saul
burned inside with anger.
He hunted David to the
point that he neglected his
responsibilities as king
and everybody around
him suffered.
When a group of
women sang about David
after he defeated Goliath,
Saul couldn't stand it.
"Then Saul was very
angry, and the saying
displeased him; and he
said, 'They have ascribed
to David ten thousand,
and to me they have
ascribed only thousand.
Now what more can he
have but the kingdom?'
So, Saul eyed David from
that day forward," (1
Samuel 18:8-9). Soon the
Philistines invaded Israel
partly because Saul was
so distracted by his envy
of the shepherd boy.
Throughout Scripture,
we are encouraged to be
content with what we
have and not to crave what
belongs to someone else.
Some of our unhappiness
results from our refusal
to see our blessings and
thinking that others have
it better than we do. We
would please God more
and probably be healthier
and happier if we enjoyed
what we have. "A sound
heart is life to the body,
but envy is rottenness
to the bones," (Proverbs
14:30).
You know what's the fastest
growing thing in Jenkins County
besides the roadside weeds? The
Jenkins County Times!
Want your loved ones' obituary
to reach more people? Want a
classified ad? Call or email us:
jenkinscountytimes@gmail.
com 478-401-5007
FAIRHAVEN U.M.C. Fair Haven United Methodist
Church VBS: Saturday, June 10th 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Please contact Chassity Waters via Facebook or email
@ chassitywaters@gmail.com to register. Registration
deadline is June 2nd.
MILLEN BAPTIST CHURCH: July 17-19 from 6-8 p.m.
Theme Hayday.
MOUNT OLIVET BAPTIST CHURCH: May 30-June
2 from 6-8:30 p m. nightly. Dinner will be provided. This
year’s theme is Twist and Turns
OAK HILL BAPTIST CHURCH
June 4-8th, 6-8:30 PM
Theme: “Kingdom Keepers”
Babies-6th grade
SCARBORO BAPTIST CHURCH
JUNE 25 Sunday 5 p m.
Vacation Bible School REGISTRATION & KICK-OFF
JUNE 26-29 VBS-VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL 5:30
p m. - 8 p m.
WEST MILLEN BAPTIST CHURCH: June 4-8. The
theme is Twist and Turn.
Let us know when your church will be
having VBS so we can put it in the paper!!
thesylyaniatimes@gmail.com or
thejenkinscountytimes@gmail.com
ZION BAPTIST CHURCH
Celebrates 144 Years
Pastor Phillip Broomfield and the Zion
Baptist Church family cordially invites the
public to worship with them on May 28th as
they celebrate 144 years of faithful service
ana dedication to our Lord and Savior.
Sunday School begins promptly at 10:00 am and
morning worship at 11:00 am. Please join us
Do you have a soldier who gave their life
fighting for our freedom? Let's celebrate
them in the paper in the June 2 issue! Send
us your photos with your loved one's name
and rank.
thejenkinscountytimes@gmail.com
or give us a call
478.401-5007 or 912-451-NEWS (6397)
537 East Winthrope Ave.
Millen, Georgia 30442
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(478)982-2390
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 T-Th-F
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 am.
219 N. Gray St, Millen, GA
478-982-5411
Pastor Brad Asbury
pastorbradasbury@gmail.com
Millen Methodist Church
Morning Worship 11AM
Sunday School 10 am.
413 N. Gray St, Millen, GA
478-982-2664
Pastor John Drake
For questions about our services, please email
us @ millenmethodistchurch@gmail.com
Oak Hill Baptist Church
Sunday School: 9 am.
Sunday Morning: 10 a m.
Wednesday: 7 pm.
Choir practice - Bible Study
Youth Group - Kids Mission Group
3233 Oak Hill Church Rd„ Millen, GA
Pastor: Joshua Johnson
478-982-1616
www.oakhillmillen.com
Scarboro Baptist Church
4204 Scarboro Church Loop
Millen, GA 30442
706-466-4494
Pastor: Perry Hearn
Sunday School: 10:00 a m.
Sunday Worship: 11:00 a m. & 6 p m.
Wednesday Evening Service: 6:00 p m.
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 com/TrinityEpiscopalStatesboro
Words of
Encouragement
By Joshua Johnson,
Special Contributor
for
The Times
Pastor Oak Hill
Baptist Church, Millen
The Little
Foxes
Song of Solomon
2:15 - Catch the foxes
for us, the little foxes
that spoil the vineyards;
for our vineyards are in
blossom.” Compromise
- to accept standards that
are lower than desirable
Song of Solomon
is one of the books of
the Bible that we act
like we’re scared of.
We don’t teach about it
much, and I think that's
because it makes us
uncomfortable. Song of
Solomon is a descriptive
love story between
Solomon and one of
his wives. However,
God placed this book in
the Bible because it is
ultimately an illustrative
picture of Jesus’s love
for His church, and His
church’s love for Him -
“my Beloved”.
In chapter 2, the
anticipatory love
between Solomon and his
wife is heading toward
the marriage union; it is
growing, strengthening,
and exciting them as
they move into marriage.
Then in Song of Solomon
2:15, we get this weird
verse that seems out
of place. Why are they
talking about catching
little foxes?
Vineyards were highly
prized in ancient Israel,
and God frequently used
the imagery of a vine or
vineyard to teach Israel
spiritual truths about
His love for them. In
one illustration, God
compared Israel to a vine
that He planted in the
land and tenderly and
lovingly cared for until
it was grown. Vines and
vineyards take years of
care and growth to be
healthy and produce
fruit - it is a multi-year
investment. In ancient
Israel, fences would be
built around vineyards
to keep out animals like
deer, who would eat
the grapes off the vine.
However, little foxes
would sneak in under
the fence and gnaw at
the stalk of the vine,
chopping it down to get
to the grapes that they
couldn’t naturally reach
- in effect, killing a vine
that could have taken 12-
14 years to grow!
So why is Song of
Solomon 2:15 about
catching the little foxes?
This verse illustrates the
small compromises we
make in our lives that
can kill a relationship.
Solomon and his soon-
to-be wife wanted to
protect their growing
relationship from the
little foxes that could
destroy it at the root.
Ultimately the little
foxes in our lives don’t
just have the power
to destroy horizontal
relationships, but they
can affect our vertical
relationship with God in
a big way.
We are like the ancient
Israelites that put up a
fence to keep the bigger
animals out, and then
forget about the little
foxes. We protect against
the “big sins” but fail to
recognize the power of
small compromises in
our lives. A house only
has to be off 1/4 of 1
inch to be out of square
and mess up the whole
structure. The missionary
Hudson Taylor said
this about little foxes,
“The enemies may be
small, but the mischief
done great! And how
numerous the little foxes
are! Little compromises
with the world,
disobedience to the
still small voice in little
things, little indulgences
of the flesh, to neglect
duty, little strokes of
policy to do evil things
that good may come;
and the beauty, and the
fruitfulness of the vine
are sacrificed.”
It takes a long time to
build up a bank account
through faithful deposits
and stewardship, but it
can be drained in one
instant by a little fox. Our
relationship with God
is like a precious vine
that has years of work
invested in it. How many
years have you walked
with the Lord? Do
you want to throw that
investment away over a
small compromise?
Are you allowing the
little foxes to run free in
your life? The vines will
eventually come down
at the root, leaving ruin
in the place where fruit
was once found. Charles
Spurgeon said, “The ear
in which the cannon has
been booming, will not
notice slight sounds.”
What it means is this -
small compromises are
not small, because they
have great consequences
- the greatest one being
ears deaf and hearts
hardened to the Holy
Spirit’s voice.
r EXCITING WORSHIP"
Oak Hill Baptist Church
3233 Oak Hill Church Rd,
Millen, GA 30442
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Oak Hill
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t Joshua Johnson,
Senior Pastor
J
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Producers of high quality monuments and markers
1484 Halcyondale Road
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(912)425-7870
(912)451-6382
Kenneth & Stacy Sanders
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