Newspaper Page Text
Page 2B, The Lee County Ledger, Thursday, January 1, 2004
Choosing the Right Place to Start
By Ashley Randall
Ashley@LeesburgUMC.com
Since I began using the
computer to keep up with
my appointments, one of the
things I miss at this time of
year is the thrill of filling in a
new calendar. There have been
moments when I have thought
about pitching my PDA, so I
could once again experience the
simple satisfaction of writing
out my plans and projects in the
blocks that represent the days,
weeks, and months of the year
ahead.
This is the time of year when
it seems especially appropriate
to reflect on what we will do
with the precious resource that
is represented so compellingly
By Frank Taylor
Happy New Year! Another
year has passed. We
should reflect back
over the events of the
passing year and ask
ourselves what have
we done significant for
the cause of Christ. Or
has the past year been
a series of lemons for
you. What do you do
when you are con
fronted with a lemon
in life’s difficulties? “Well,
you make lemonade.” You say!
“Lemonade!” “How do I make
lemonade with those difficulties
of the past year?”
The Apostle Paul analyzes and
defines for us the nature of our
struggles in Ephesians 6. This is
a crucial point for us to under
stand. The Apostle Paul tells us
that the struggles we face varies
in intensity from one day to the
next. We must learn to stand,
he says, “when the day of evil
comes.” This implies that not
all days are evil. Some days
will be worse than others. There
are seasons in our lives when
pressures are more intense, and
problems, trials, and tempta
tions seem to gang up on us
by the few
pages of
a mostly
blank book.
As you
spend time
thinking
about the
year to
come, let me
encourage
you—before
you fill in
too many of the days that lie
ahead—to take some of that
time to consider five questions.
At the close of his book, The
Purpose Driven Life, Rick War
ren commends these as “life’s
five greatest questions.” They
are worth considering anytime,
all at once. These are what we
recognize as evil days. The
beloved Apostle tells
us that our conflict
is not against flesh
and blood but spiri
tual. That is, spiritual
warfare is not about
the struggle of man
against man. It is not
a political struggle,
a social struggle, an
economic struggle, or
even a religious-theo
logical-doctrinal struggle. It is
not a struggle between human
beings. It is a struggle within
human beings.
Let me ask you a question:
“What is the one thing that gives
you the most difficulty in life?”
For most of us, the answer to
that question, in one form or
another, comes down to one
thing: People. You may struggle
intensely with a family member,
your spouse or child or parent.
Or you may have personality
conflicts and struggles in your
office, or in your church, or
in your neighborhood. In the
political realm, the Republicans
are always vexed by stratagems
of the Democrats, and the tactics
of the Republicans always
but particularly at the beginning
of a new year as you consider
making commitments, resolu
tions, and plans for all your
activities. Let me suggest that
you set aside some time to write
down your answers to these
important questions.
What will be the center of my
life? A lot of people talk about
being a well-rounded individu
al, but they make the mistake of
thinking that means developing
a lot of unrelated interests. A
perfect circle is defined by all
the points on the circumference
being the same distance from
the center. When you don’t have
anything at the center of your
life, that’s chaos. Many of the
things people choose to make
irritates the Democrats — and
both parties are annoyed with
the Libertarians, Reform Party,
Greens, and Independents! And
let us not forget the Internal
Revenue Service. Certainly if
there is one group of people who
know how to make our lives
miserable, it is those “public
servants” down at the IRS!
But the Apostle Paul says that
our struggle is not against flesh
and blood. Our true battle is not
against our political opponents
or the IRS
or family or co-workers or
neighbors or any other human
agency. The battle is not against
people, but against unseen spiri
tual powers. In fact, the entire
human race is under a vicious
assault by certain principali
ties and powers, world rulers of
darkness, wicked spirits in high
places. “That is your problem,”
Paul says in Ephesians 6. “That
is the nature of the enemy we
face—powerful invisible rul
ers of darkness, highly placed
agents of spiritual wickedness!”
And it is not just Christians who
are opposed by these forces.
Every man, woman and child
everywhere is a target of the
enemy. The devil has each one
of us in his crosshairs. The
principalities and powers, and
the world rulers of this present
the center of their lives, just
can’t hold it all together. Your
decision to let God be the center
of your life is crucial to experi
encing the blessings of life.
What will be the character of
my life? People do notice the
things you do, the words you
say, and the places you go. You
may be able to fool them for a
little while, but eventually the
true quality of your character
will become evident. Will you
practice the discipline to allow
God room to shape your charac
ter so the fruit of the Spirit can
begin to mature in your life?
What will be the contribution
of my life? Most people start
the new year hoping they will
have a few more dollars in their
darkness oppose the whole race.
That is Paul’s explanation of the
struggle of life.
Yet even though the devil has
declared war on the entire hu
man race, it is only Christians
who are capable of believing
and perceiving the true nature
of this conflict. The world does
not understand spiritual truth,
so it either distorts the true
nature of our battle to the point
of ridiculousness or it rejects
spiritual reality as a “myth,”
intellectually unacceptable and
inadmissible to any intelligent
mind. Occultism and supersti
tion have distorted the great rev
elation of spiritual warfare—the
dark powers, rulers, authorities,
and spiritual forces of evil in the
heavenly realms—and have re
duced them to a ridiculous pan
theon of comic-book goblins,
witches, spooks, and ghouls.
Now that we know that the
lemons of life are the cause of
the forces of evil and the powers
of darkness, how do we make
lemonade from these lemons?
We learn from Ephesians 6 to
fight the good fight, to stand fast
in the faith, to be strong in the
Lord in the midst of the battle,
we must align ourselves with
the forces of God, the forces of
good, in the midst of this dark
and evil world.
bank account at the end of the
year than they do as it begins.
Unfortunately, a big bank
balance does not guarantee per
sonal fulfillment. Giving your
life by serving others is the path
to lasting significance.
What will be the communi
cation of my life? What is the
message the people around
you hear day after day? There
are some folks who are always
complaining about something.
I’ve been tempted to ask more
than one person why they didn’t
go ahead and put themselves
out of their misery. God sent his
Son into the world with Good
News. Jesus gave his followers
the mission of spreading that
news to all people. How will
you share the message with the
people in your life?
What will be the community
of my life? God does not want
(NAPSI)-Americans are roll
ing up their sleeves. In the first
phase of the Save A Life Tour,
the American Red Cross proud
ly announced that the country
rallied together to secure more
than 3 million blood donations
during the largest blood donor
initiative in Red Cross history.
For six months, more than
300 communities nationwide
participated in the Save A Life
Tour to help raise awareness
and educate the public about
the need for a safe and available
blood supply. But this is only
the beginning.
“Now, more than ever, people
understand the importance
of donating blood. We com
mend the American public for
supporting this vital initiative
by helping build and maintain
an adequate supply of blood
for our nation,” said Marsha J.
Evans, President and CEO of
the Red Cross. “We hope that
Americans will continue to give
the life-saving gift of blood
us to be alone. He created us for
one another to help each other
become all God wants us to be.
Are the people you choose to
spend time with helping you
grow? Are you helping them
realize their potential? It is only
when you make an enduring
commitment to a particular
group of people that they can
really begin to transform your
life.
The year ahead holds great
promise, potential, and possibil
ity. God knows the plans he has
for you. He has designed you
for his purposes. Make the most
of this year by making a good
start.
Ashley Randall is the Pastor
of the Leesburg United Method
ist Church. He would like to
wish every one a Happy New
Year filled with God’s blessing
and the richness of God’s grace.
with their family, friends and
neighbors.”
A recent survey conducted on
behalf of the Red Cross Save A
Life Tour revealed that nearly
18 million Americans adults
do not feel their blood dona
tion would make a difference
and another 13 million say they
would donate, but they don’t
understand the blood donation
process.
How To Donate Blood
Giving blood is a simple-but
not small-thing to do. Anyone
who is at least 17 years old, in
good health and weighs at least
110 pounds may be eligible
to donate blood. The whole
process takes about an hour. It
starts with registration, a health
history and a mini-physical.
Then comes the actual dona
tion, which usually takes less
than 10 to 12 minutes. People
who are deemed eligible may
donate blood every 56 days.
see Red Cross,
page 3B
What the Bible Teaches
Taylor
Randall
Americans Answer The Call
For Blood Donors But More
Donations Are Still Needed
Attend The House of Worship of Your Choice This Sunday
Lee County Church Of Christ
Eddie Garcia, Minister
Bible Study 9:30 AM
Worship 10:30 AM
Evening Worship 6:00 PM
Mid-Week Bible Study 7:
30 PM
Smithville Baptist
Lance Fendley, Pastor
Sunday School 10:00 AM
Morning Worship 11:00 AM
Evening Worship 7:00 PM
Wed. Prayer Service. 7:00 PM
Leesburg Presbyterian
Dr. James H. Huffaker
Rev. “Buck” Thomson
Morning Worship 9:00 AM
Philema Road Baptist
Dan Harris, Pastor
Sunday School 9:45 AM
Morning Worship 11:00 AM
Evening Worship 6:00 PM
Wed Bible Study 7:00 AM
Alpha Baptist
Rev. Joe Jenkins
Sunday School 10:00 AM
Morning Worship 11:00 AM
Discipleship Training 6:00 PM
Evening Worship 7:00 PM
Wed. Prayer Service 7:30 PM
Antioch Baptist Church
Rev. Lem Wright
1st and 3rd Sunday
Sunday School 9:00 AM
4th Sunday
Worship Service 10:00 AM
Zion Hope Baptist
Rev. H. L. Holsey
Sunday School 10:30 AM
Sunday Worship 11:30 AM
Phillip Grove Baptist
Rev. A.L. Johnson
Highway 195 Leesburg
Sunday School 10:00 AM
1 st & 3rd Sunday 11:00 AM
Wed. Bible Study 7:00 PM
Mt. Pleasant Baptist
Pastor Steven Tuck
Sunday School 10:00 AM
Worship Service 11:15AM
Tuesday
Tutorial Service.,.5:30-7:00pm
Prayer and Bible Study. 7-8 pm
Albany Bible Church
Pete Daughtry, Pastor-
Teacher
Sun. Bible Class.. 9:30 & 11:00
Bible Class
Monday/Wednesday 7:30
Kinchafoonee Baptist
Rev. Charles (Chuck) Smith
Sunday School 9:45 AM
Morning Worship 11:00 AM
Training Union 6:00 PM
Evening Worship 7:00 PM
Wed. Services 7:30 PM
Smithville United Methodist
Pastor - Randy Carnley
Worship 10:00 AM
Sunday School 11:00 AM
Palmyra Baptist
J. D. Bolden
Sunday School 10:00 AM
Morning Worship.... 12:00 PM
Bible Study (1st Sun) 5:00 PM
Eve. Wor. (1st Sun).. 7:00 PM
McAfee Grove
Missionary Baptist
Minister Robert Lewis Morgan
First & Third Sundays
Sunday School 10:30 AM
Morning worship 11:30 AM
Second & Fourth Sundays
Sunday School 10:00 AM
Macadonia Baptist Church
Sunday School 10:30 AM
Wed. Bible Study 7:00 PM
First Sunday
Morning Worship 11:45 AM
Third Sunday
Evening Worship 6:00 PM
CrossPoint Baptist Church
Dr. Darwin Bullock, Pastor
Sunday Worship 10:30 AM
Family Life Groups..Sun. 6:00 PM
www.crosspointbaptist.org
New Piney Grove Baptist
Pastor Henry L. Holsey
Third Sunday Services
Sunday School 11:30 AM
Worship 12:30 PM
First Sunday Services
Sunday School 11:00 AM
Jordan Grove Baptist
Rev. R. O. Calhoun
Sunday School 9:45 AM
Worship Service 11:00 AM
Leesburg Church Of Christ
Bro. Howard Bouldin
Sunday School 10:00 AM
Morning Worship ....11:00 PM
Evening Worship 6:00 PM
Wednesday Evening. 7:30 PM
St. Stephen’s Episcopal
The Rev. Tom Arledge
Sunday School 10:00 AM
Morning Worship 11:00 AM
Wednesday 6:00 PM
Living Hope Fellowship
A Four Square Church
Rev. Jeff Fowler
Sunday School 9:30 AM
Worship Service 10:30 AM
Evening Service 6:00 PM
Wednesday Evening. 7:00 PM
Children’s Church during both
Sunday Sen/ices
Unity Church of Christianity
Rev. Joanna Gabriel
Dial-A-Prayer 435-7077
Morning Worship ...,11:00 AM
New Hope AME
Rev. Alfreda Williams
every 1st and third Sunday
Sunday School 10:00 AM
Sunday Worship 11:00 AM
House Of God
Saints In Christ
Elder A.F. Caldwell, Pastor
Sunday School 10:30 AM
1st, 2nd, & 4th Sundays
Morning Worship ...,11:45 AM
2nd & 4th Sunday
Evening Service 6:30 PM
Wed. Bible Study 7:30 PM
Fri. Sharing Ser 7:30 PM
Leesburg Church of God
Rev. Sean Faircloth
Sunday School 10:00 AM
Morning Worship 10:40 AM
Evening Worship 6:00 PM
Wed. Fam. Training 7:00 PM
Wooden Grove Baptist
1st & 3rd Sunday Services
Worship 11:00 AM
Weekly
Sunday School 10:00 AM
Tuesday Night
Bible Study 7:00 PM
Thundering Springs
Baptist Church
Calvin King - Pastor
Sunday School 9.45 AM
Morning Worship 11:00 AM
Church Training 5:00 PM
Evening Worship 6:00 PM
Wed. Prayer Services7:00 PM
Leesburg United
Methodist Church
Pastor Ashley Randall
Worship .... 8:45 and 11:00 AM
Sunday School 10:00 AM
Adult Choir 5:30 PM
Youth Fellowship 5:45 PM
Evening Worship 7:00 PM
Wed. Supper/Bible Study 6:00
Green Grove Baptist
Smithville, GA
Rev. H. Waters
Sunday School 11:00 AM
Every First Sunday
Morning Worship 11:45 AM
Kingdom Vision Christian Center
Rev. Earl S. Harrison, Pastor
1027 N. Philema Road N.
Sunday School 10:00 AM
Sunday Worship 11:15AM
Wed. Bible Study 7:00 PM
Lutherian Church of Our Savior
Rev. Bill Behrend
101 Hickory Grove Road
Sunday School 9:30 AM
Worship 11:00 AM
For any corrections or additions to the Church Page, Contact The Lee County Ledger at 759-2413
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Turner Field Industrial Park
1507 Rodgers Street
Albany, Georgia 31705
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BI-COUNTY
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818 Hwy. 19 S
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Funeral Home
Crematory/Memorials
Mike Mathews - Gary Mathews
3206 Gillionville Rd.
Albany, GA 31707
435-5657
Leesburg Cemetery
Leesburg First Baptist
Rev. Bobby Harrell
Worship I 8:30 AM
Sunday School 9:45 AM
Worship II 11:00 AM
Evening Worship 7:00 PM
Wednesday
Church Supper 5:30 PM
AWANA 6:20 PM
Prayer Meeting 6:30 PM
Youth Meeting 7:00 PM
Sovereign Grace
Baptist Church
Steven Youngblood, Pastor
Morning Worship ...,10:30 AM
Evening Worship 6:00 PM
Wednesday Awana .. 6:30 PM
Amazing Grace
Baptist Church
Pastor, Dr. Ron Baxley
Morning Worship
& Sunday School ...,10:45 AM
Evening Worship
& Youth Choir 6:00 PM
Wednesday 6:30 to
(Youth only) 8:00 PM
Mt. Hope Baptist Church
Pastor: Rev. M. W. Willis
Services 1st Sunday
Sunday School 5:00 PM
Church 6:00 PM
Services 4th Sunday
Sunday School 10:00 AM
Church 11:00 AM
Piney Grove #3
Pastor W. G. Groover
Every Sunday
Sunday School 10:00 AM
2nd and 4th Sunday
Worship 11:00 Noon
Emmanuel Community
Baptist Church
Al Bryant, Pastor
Sunday School 10:00 AM
Morning Worship ...,11:00 AM
Every Wednesday
Bible Study 6:30 PM
Shady Grove
Baptist Church
Rev. Marcus Glass, Pastor
1st and 2nd Sunday
Worship Service 11:00 AM
Every Sunday
Sunday School 9:50 AM
Wed. Bible Study 7:00 PM
Fourth Sunday
Evening Service 6:00 PM
Liberty Primitive Baptist
Morning Worship ...,10:30 AM
2nd and 4th Sunday
Evening Worship 6:00 PM
EIDSON &
MATHIS, LLC
TRIAL LAWYERS
227 Walnut St.
Suite B
Leesburg
759-2243
Hughes
LeeVista
ACE Hardware
Store Hours
Monday - Friday 8-6
Saturday 8-4
Sunday 12-3
436-8998 432-0037
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759-6561 759-6482
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