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F,RST CHRISTIAN CHURCH
Gary Armes,
“Usta - Gonna - Oughta”
There’s these three really
nice guys, see. They’re plea
sant enough to meet, easy to
talk to, and seem good as
gold. They almost always
smile. They’re friendly
enough. But they’re deadly!
They’ll kill a church...or
any other group. Even a
family. Or a marriage. But
their specialty is destroying
churches.
First one’s name is Usta.
You hear his name pop up all
the time. Usta is the guy who
only a few years ago was in
there pitching, doing the
work, supporting the cause.
He was in worship where he
wag supposed to be. I met
him in stores, social gather
ings, weddings and an awful
lot of the time in hospitals.
He tells me how he “usta” go
to church, “usta” be in Bible
School, and “usta” go call
ing. He’s got a long list of
yesterday’s loyalty. He’s
usually pretty congenial and
warm about all the things he
usta do. He seems to have
the idea that some sentimen
tal attachment to what he
usta do still carries some im
portance in his life. He also
usta pray and usta take his
family to worship and study.
Usta is deader than a door
nail. But the corpse is still
coasting along on his ustas.
The church can do nothing -
no witness, no fellowship, no
missions, no support—no
nothing-on what Usta offers.
Then there’s Gonna. He’s
loaded with good intentions.
There’s a lot he’s “gonna”
get done in his life and in the
church. He’s gonna get
started back to worship. Just
as soon as things slack up a
little bit he’s gonna bring the
good wife and get into the
kind of spiritual life he wants
for himself and his family.
But last Sunday was too cold
and next Sunday he’s gonna
be out of town. Just you wait,
he says with an intent look.
He’s gonna get things
LANIERLAND
PRESBYTERIAN (SB3 gu
CHURCH
887-6236
Why
K God decides to argue
with a man, can a man give
an* answer? Who has ever
stood up to the wise and
mighty God and dared to
ask, “What are you doing?”
A man knows the dif
ference between right and
wrong. His life is long and
hard. He grinds on to the end
of 'the week - toward his
wages. Life flies by, day
after endless day.
But God never let’s a man
alone. Even when he sleeps,
he terrible nightmares. He
cries, “I hate my life. Let me
alone, God. What is mere
man that you spend your
time hassling him? Must you
torment me every moment?
Why won’t you leave me
alone, even long enough to
spit? Don’t condemn me, tell
me why you despise me.
You made me. Are you un
fair, like man? Or is it
because no one can save me
from your torment? You
have curdled me like cheese,
poured me bottle to bottle
like milk. Why have you
made me your target? ”
These words are found in
the old testament. They are
from Job. Do they have a
familiar ring? Have you
ever cried out to God in
despair? You know there is a
God because He has singled
you out. Have you cried with
Job, one big, “Ouch! It is so
bad, I can’t stand it. Why
hurt me like this, God?”
Satan had given Job boils
and sores. Job had lost
everything he owned. He lost
his family. He was very ill
and discouraged. He could
not understand why God was
allowing all this.
God’s ways are hidden
from man. As you live on this
earth, you should be aware
of the fact that what is hap
pening to you right now is far
more important in time and
eternity than what you ever
see or know. Man’s mind is
right.. .any day now.
Gonna is a killer. A killer
of men’s lives and a killer of
Christ’s witness in the world.
He’s the guy usually respon
sible for keeping the kids
home from study and wor
ship on any given Sunday.
He doesn’t do anything to
day. But he’s gonna!
The third member of the
treacherous trio doesn’t fool
anyone but himself. Week
and useless. Oughta is
always one step back from
really getting the job done.
Any job. He knows what
should be done, what he
oughta be doing. But he
doesn’t do it. He’s usually a
quitter. He starts things,
looks good for a few weeks or
months and then fades out.
He’s tricky. He gives you the
impression that since he
knows what he should be do
ing, it’s the same as ac
complished. But it isn’t. It
won’t be, either. Oughta is
perpetually excusing
himself. He oughta
discipline himself and act on
his good intentions. But
weeks turn into months and
a lifetime passes by. The
kids grow up in the parlor of
his lazy inactivity. But since
he knows he oughta, he
manages to convince himself
that knowing he oughta is as
good as doing it.
Oughta is the saddest and
most pathetic of the three.
He’s Mr. Might-Have-
Been...but never is. The
church where he knew he
oughta help, finally closed
its doors and went out of
business. He was asleep
when it happened.
Be on the lookout for these
three killers. They have been
found guilty of the eternal
spiritual destruction of
millions and are known to be
at large at the present. If you
should see one of them - like
in your mirror - turn him in
to the Father at once.
(This article was copied. It
was written by John
Greenlee).
trained to understand this
earth and now it works.
It is natural to think that if
you are good, you will be
rewarded. If you are bad,
you will be punished. You
deserve it. So if you have
trouble, you must have done
wrong.
However, many Christians
in the New Testament and
through history have had
great trouble. And, that was
because of their faith.
So, you can see trouble
does not always mean the
Lord is punishing wrong do
ing. God is spirit. The ways
of the spiritual, are under
different laws than those of
earth. God has other pur
poses than making this a
comfortable, easy life.
Sometimes God allows
trouble in a person’s life to
underline their need to look
to Him. It is a way of getting
their full attention - for
them to take God seriously.
God controls all things, good
or bad, everything comes
under his say so.
When you feel the power of
the Omnipotent God, you can
hear Him saying to place
your hand in His hand and
He will lead you. “When 1 sit
in darkness, the Lord
Himself, will be a light unto
me.”Micah7:B.
Now you must make a
choice. Do not only accept
God’s superiority in your
mind. But you must follow
this mental action with
physical action. You must
change the direction of your
life. Choose between follow
ing God orman.
“In everything you do, put
God first and He will direct
you.” Prov. 3:6.
Deliberately do one thing
that you know is pleasing to
the Lord. How? Make a
choice to worship and trust
in the Lord. Seek out the
fellowship of other believers.
Obituaries
LEE RICHARDS
Lee Joe Richards, 50,
Cumming, died Feb. 24,1980
following an extended il
lness.
He is survived by his wife,
Mrs. Lucy Richards;
children, Mr. and Mrs.
David (Betty) Rhoden of
Cumming, Peggy A. Day
and Mary Richards of
Gainesville, and Mr. and
Mrs. J.W. (Martha) Day and
Lula Richards of Dawson
ville; parents Mr. and Mrs.
Dewey Richards of
Alpharetta; step children,
Mr. and Mrs. Marshall
(Wanda) Gilley of Lanette,
Ala., Mr. and Mrs. Tommy
(Kathleen) Fendley of
Opalika, Ala., Mr. and Mrs.
Kenneth (Telecia) Gilley
and klr. and Mrs. James
(Pamela) Gilley of
LaGrange, Mr. and Mrs.
David (Cecelia) Gilley of
Dallas, and Jonny M. Gilley
and Mary Ann Webster of
Atlanta; eight grand
children; seven step grand
children; brother Jack
Episcopate Set
Lent Services
The Episcopal Church of
the Holy Spirit on Pilgrim
Mill Road and Oakwood
Drive, is hosting a series of
Lenten speakers on Tuesday
evenings at 8 p.m.
On March 4, Rev. Don Har
rison, St. Bede’s, Atlanta,
will speak on “My Mother
Told Me You Ought Always
to Wear Clean Underwear.”
Rev. Woodie Bartlett, St.
Bartholomews, Atlanta, will
speak on March 11, on,
Sharon Plans
Bible Meeting
Sharon Baptist Church will
have a Missionary Bible
Conference, beginning Sun
day, March 2, and continuing
through Wednesday, March
5.
Rev. Ken Hansard will be
in charge of the special ser
vices, and will be assisted by
B. Sumanth, Willie Causby
and others. Rev. John Robin
son, pastor of Sharon Church
has extended a special in-
8
■m** , ***
Welcome
Kayce Williams, state Heart Princess from Cumming,
welcomes Forsyth County Sheriff Wesley Walraven to a
special open house that was held last Sunday at the cour
thouse. The open house was to acquaint volunteers and
visitors to the upcoming Heart Fund Drive.
SPECIAL '
SAVINGS
— T7 g I ~ '
20% OFF
All Woven Wooden Shades
CUMMING HOME DECORATING CENTER
l PHONE 887-4747 j
Richards of Alpharetta; and
sisters Evelyn Stancil of
Alpharetta and Allie
Williams of Canton.
Services were held
Wednesday at 11 a.m. at the
Ingram Funeral Home
Chapel with interment at
Longstreet Baptist
Cemetery.
H —I —I-
BOBBY JONES
Bobby Wade Jones, 648
Canton Road, Cumming,
died Feb. 14,1980.
He is survived by his
parents, Mr. and Mrs. Henry
Jones; brother, Charles
Jones of Cumming; and
sister, Connie Jones Lamb of
Cumming.
Services were held Feb. 17
at 2 p.m. at the Zion Hill Bap
tist Church with Rev. Paul
Thompson and Rev. Tommy
Estes officiating.
Interment was in the
church cemetery with Louie
E. Jones Funeral Home of
Alpharetta in charge of ar
rangements.
“Litergy and the Prayer
Book.”
On March 18, Rev. Rick
Williams, Christ Church,
Kennessaw will the
featured speaker on, “Chris
tian Communications.”
The last of the series will
feature Rev. John Covey, St.
Patrick’s, Dunwoody,
“Healing in the Church,” on
March 25.
The public is invited to at
tend the special services.
vitation to everyone to at
tend the 7:30 p.m. services
each evening.
Rev. Sumanth will be in
charge of the services all
day Sunday beginning with
Sunday School at 9:45 a.m.,
the morning worship hour at
10:45 a.m., 6:30 p.m. train
ing union, and the 7:30 p.m.,
evening worship. A nursery
will be provided.
8:30-6:30 MON-SAT.
GTLSTRAPS
FOOD
STORE
Downtown Cumming - Across from Dairy Queen.
Food Stamps Accepted - We reserve right to limit quantities
Closed on Sundays.
FRESH
GROUND
BEEF
*149
V ib.
IUZIANNE
COFFEE
$199
bag m UMIT2
IUZIANNE
& . *1”
DOUBLE Q
SALMON 00$
FLAT CAN W W
HIDRI
PAPER 2 oat
TOWELS soils 77
WHITE CLOUD
Hg| TISSUE
99*
AMERICA’S BEST DOLE
fuhir $099 JTHL
101 b. eMh bag 4L FUT QQ^
Chinks CANS * *
-.VViV.V n , I „ -
BANANAS 29? §L|(flP
VINE RIPE M MsmM
TOMATOES
THE FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS—WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27,1980-
CHOCK
ROAST
Center Cut
$469
1 lb.
OSCAR MATER
WIENERS
Ml MM t REGULAR
$449
m ib.
osC«mJhP^^
BACON
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m ib.
uwri
FRESH
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1 ib.
MUTE UIY
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a I
WHITE UIY J
CORN MEAL 4
BUIE HATE
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QUART
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IVORY
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2 99*
PAGE 15