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jenkinscountytimes.com
The Jenkins County Times
Wednesday, September 13, 2023 - Page 3
Pastor Jordan Clayton
Senior pastor at
East Burke Baptist Church
in Sardis.
Never Give Up
Do you remember the
story from your childhood
called, "The Little Engine
That Could?" You'll recall
that the little engine was
faced with a steep climb
and was unsuccessful in
making it to the top all
because he believed that he
wouldn't be able to make
it. He changed his way of
thinking and began to tell
himself, "I think I can, I
think I can." Upon trying
again, the positive mindset
allowed him to muster the
strength to persevere.
Another such lesson can
be seen by looking at how
elephants are trained. The
elephant trainer will take
a small, thin rope and will
use it to secure a baby
elephant to a post. The
elephant struggles and cries,
but soon realizes he simply
isn't strong enough to break
free. The trainer will use
the same small length of
rope to secure the animal
as it grows all the way to
maturity. The elephant will
stay right next to the post
and won't ever try to break
free because he has been
conditioned to believe that
the rope is too strong for
him to break. Even though
he now weighs thousands
of pounds and possesses
incredible strength, he
simply doesn't believe he
can break free, and so he
never tries.
The same thing is
often true for us as
Christians. We often give
up before reaching our
full potential because we
don't realize how strong
we really are in Christ.
We need to remember the
determination of the little
engine and try to muscle
our way through to victory
more often.
Don't give up and never
admit defeat. Remember
that you and Jesus together
are a majority and that
all things are possible for
them that believe. After all,
nothing is impossible for
God!
A man and woman lost on
a deserted island decided
that they would walk and
try to find a way of escape.
They walked tirelessly for
days, climbing hill after hill,
mile after mile. They got to
the point where they just
couldn't walk anymore, and
they decided together to
give up. They stopped and
laid down and died right
there where they stopped.
Moments later, a group of
tourists stumbled across
their bodies lying there in
the sand. One man hollered
to another, "we can carry
them back to town, it's just
over the next hill."
The couple gave up just
one hill too soon. If only
they had kept going, just
a little farther, they would
have realized that the island
wasn't deserted at all. In
fact, they were only a few
steps away from a tropical
resort paradise.
We need to believe the
best about ourselves and
never accept defeat. Paul
said it so well in Philippians
3:14. He said, "I press
toward the mark for the
prize of the high calling of
God in Christ Jesus." That's
what it's all about, friends.
You can make it if you just
believe and never give up.
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East Burke Baptist Church
Sunday Services 11 a.m.
Pastor: Jordan Clayton
Hwy 24 Sardis, GA
Please call 706-526-1733 for
more information.
Mii.i.f.n Baptist Church
Come join us!!
Morning Worship 11AM
Sunday School 9:45 a.m.
219 N. Gray St, Millen, GA
478-982-5411
Pastor Brad Asbury
pastorbradasbury@gmail. c om
Mii.i.f.n Methodist Church
Morning Worship 11AM
Sunday School 10 a.m.
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 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
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 Worship: 11:00 a.m.
Due to the fire, this will be our service time until further notice.
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
Are you
stretching me
out?
"Count it all joy, my
brothers, when you meet
trials of various kinds, for
you know that the testing
of your faith produces
steadfastness. And let
steadfastness have its
full effect, that you may
be perfect and complete,
lacking in nothing. ’’
Getting in the car to
go anywhere with my
children is like playing
whack-a-mole. We must
make sure we have all the
necessary accessories -
pacifier, diaper bag, bottle,
water bottles, and then
whatever is needed for our
outing. Then we must get
all the kids in the car and
in their car seats. Getting
everyone to the door is one
mission, then getting them
into the car is the next.
When we go out the door
everyone scatters to play
with a different toy. By the
time we’re all in the car,
everyone is stressed.
The other day, while
we were loading up to go
somewhere, my oldest son
Jude said, “You guys are
stressing me out!” to which
my middle son Jax replied,
“Am I stretching you out?”
We heard stressing but Jax
heard stretching. It made
me stop and consider the
difference between the
words for a moment, and
the difference in outcomes
when we have a stressed
mindset versus a stretched
mindset.
Once on a mission trip,
the team leader led us in
a nightly exercise called
“stretched and blessed”.
He would go around the
group and ask us one way
God blessed us that day (a
highlight) and one day God
stretched us (a challenge).
We all realized during
“stretched and blessed” that
we were just “blessed and
blessed” because all the
stressors that stretched us,
only led to growth. What
if we began to see God’s
hand in our stressors and
looked at them as God
stretching us for growth?
James 1:2-4 talks about
seeing God’s hand at work
in our lives - especially in
trials, or stressful moments
and seasons. This passage
is a good reminder that
God is working out even
our stressful moments to
strengthen us in our faith
and walk with Him. Even
if we can’t stop and see
how God is working in the
moment, we can have faith
that He will work through
the stress and trial to use it
for our growth in Him. It is
leaning into Him in faith
that causes our faith and
endurance to grow.
This week, when
you encounter a trial or
stressful moment, instead
of dwelling on the stress,
think about how God can
use this to stretch you.
Remember James 1:2-4
this week, “Count it all
joy, my brothers, when
you meet trials of various
kinds, for you know> that
the testing of your faith
produces steadfastness.
And let steadfastness have
its full effect, that you may
be perfect and complete,
lacking in nothing. ’’ God,
are You stretching me out?
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
thejenkinscountytimes@gmail.com
or drop them off at our office Tuesday, Thursday or Friday
at 425 Hwy 25 S„ Millen, GA.
Our deadline is noon on Fridays for the following week.
f EXCITING WORSHIP ^
Oak Hill Baptist Church
3233 Oak Hill Church Rd,
Millen, GA 30442
Download
Oak Hill
Church
APP
Today!
c Joshua Johnson, Senior Pastor j
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