About The Georgia post. (Knoxville, Crawford County, Ga.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 31, 2013)
PAGE 6 - THURSDAY, JANUARY 31,2013 Spiritual Experience That Transcends Water Baptism John the Baptist introduced water baptism in the Jordan River as a ritual for the Jewish people to repent of their sins. “Repent,” John intoned, “for the kingdom of God is at hand.” It was not a Christian baptism because Jesus had not begun His ministry nor had the gospels been written. John told the people that “I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” Christian baptism is a symbolic act. Paul describes baptism as sharing in Christ’s death and resurrection: “We have been buried with him by baptism unto death, in order that, as Christ has been raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we also should walk in newness of life.” Thus, when a man is submerged, it is like being buried. When he emerges from the water, it is like rising from the grave. Symbolically, he dies to the old law of sin and rises to the new life of grace. Water baptism is a sign of our cleansing from sin and spiritual regeneration, but it cannot save us. Salvation depends upon faith alone and cannot be earned: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and not of yourselves; it is the gift of God—not because of works, lest any man should boast.” All Old Testament saints (Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, etc.) were saved by faith in the Lord. None of them were baptized. Jesus assured the woman (at the home of Simon, the Pharisee) that she was saved by faith: “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.” Similarly, He assured the repentant thief on the cross, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” Trusting in baptism to seal one’s salvation is folly. Water baptism did not change the heart of Simon the magician, for soon afterwards the apostle Peter warned him that his heart was not right with God and that he was still bound by sin. There are thousands like Simon who have been baptized with water, and yet show no evidence of being bom anew. They still love the sin they practice; they do not fear God nor respect His commandments; nor do they love their fellow man. Yet they still call themselves Christians, call God their Father, and think that they are members of Christ’s church. Despite their baptism, they have no share in Christ and are still enslaved by sin. Jesus spoke of a “second baptism.”BeforeHeascended into heaven, He told his disciples that “John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” Its manifestation was Billy Powell Columnist www.billypowellbooks.com demonstrated a short time later on the Day of Pentecost when 3000 souls were saved. Baptism of the Holy Spirit is a spiritual experience that transcends water baptism— an infilling of the individual with the Holy Spirit. How can we receive it? The best explanation is that each person possesses the Holy Spirit based on the extent of his/her Christian commitment. It is only when the Holy Spirit possesses the totality of that individual and comes to reside in his/her soul that absolute sanctification is possible. Standing In The Need You may be in the midst of an emotional rollercoaster wondering, can anything good come out of this situation or ask yourself a question, “How did I get in this mess?” It can even be a physical or financial crisis, fearful that you will never get back on track. This is the time you need to go to God and tell him, “Lord I’m standing in the need of prayer,” not my mother, father, sister or brother but it’s me “Oh Lord, standing in the need of prayer. Sometimes when things happen problems arise and it seems as though all hell is breaking lose, we begin to wonder. What did I do wrong? Did I hurt anyone? Did I do something that I’m not aware of? Or whatever the case may be, we at this point need to go to God and ask Him to forgive us and restore us spiritually so that we might enjoy His goodness again and bring us into a right relationship with Him. When we stand in the need of prayer, we must come in a humble spirit because God resists the proud but gives grace to them who realize that they need Him. Then He embraces us into His open arms. BE BLESSED! Church Jfappenings As Things Now Stand, I Think I’ll Sit Down One thing about me that has not changed all these years is that I refuse to waste my time on anything not important. There is too much to do in this world to waste time on unimportant things. This, however, sometimes gets me in trouble with the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage. Do not let this get back to her, but I sometimes refer to it as the GMP syndrome. She is standing up about something and I am sitting in my easy chair not knowing what she’s talking about. My wife’s idea of what is important sometimes does not jive with my sense of importance. The real problem is that I do not understand what she thinks is important and she, on the other hand, does not understand that I do not think it is important. On those rare occasions when our sense of what is important collides, we celebrate. That is what is important. She thinks she won, and I know I won. Does it really matter? Very few times in life do we both get what we want. When that happens she stands up and gloats, while I sit down and grin. I am not sure what the difference is between a gloat and a grin, but then, does it really matter? I must confess we are on a different wavelength at times. The only time our waves are synchronized is when I am driving out of the driveway and waving goodbye and her returning the jester. Do not get me wrong, we have been a marvelous working team for more years than I can remember. Of course, that does not mean anything because I cannot remember yesterday. However, we have worked together most marvelously for many years and I look forward to many more years of such marital shenanigans. In spite of that, we have our differences. One of the great differences we have is in the definition of importance. It is a rare day in June when our definitions are united in holy macaroni and cheese. It does happen though and we both revel in those moments. It is wonderful when we can stand together on some project or some issue. Now that I think of it, I believe we stand together more often than I have given credit. The thing that makes our relationship so marvelous and wonderful is that we allow the other person to have their differences. She is a broccoli [yuck] kind of a person and I on the other hand am an Apple Fritter kind of person. It just goes to show there are certain things that a person should stand for and then there are things that really do not matter. Looking out at the world, I notice a few things I just cannot stand for. Some do not make any difference one way or the other, while others really makes a difference. The problem is by the time we understand the significance of something we are too old to do anything about it. The Pennsylvania Dutch has a wonderful saying, “We grow too soon old and too late smart.” By the time we have grown enough to become smart about something that something is no longer in vogue. At my age, of course, I am learning that I cannot stand too long for anything. Out in the world of politics and religion, people are always coming up with solutions to nonexistent problems. It takes a good politician and religious person to spend a lot of time working on a solution of which there is no problem. Our world is full of problems, to be sure. It would be a rare day when people would get their heads together and work on problems. All we have today are solutions. The trouble is finding the right solution for the right problem. Only in politics and in religion can we spend all our time working on a solution that does not address any particular problem. As this stands today, I think I am just going to sit down and let it go by, because it will. My father taught me the most important thing in life was never to try to fix somethingthatain’tbroken... or ain’t broken too bad. It is amazing what a little duct tape can do to put off fixing something that is not broken too bad. Not every crack needs fixing. Silence is golden and noise can be expensive especially Featured Artist -Terri Bennett" Paintings- Jewelry- Hand Painted Gourds - -Quilts -Antiques- -Hand-sewn gifts & Embroidery We Now Conduct Estate Sales!! Ask About Our Crafty Classes!! 478-836-5115 or 837-0723 HOURS: Tuesday - Friday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.; I Saturday -10 a.m. - 3 p.m. J Out to Pastor Rev. James L. Snyder jamessnyder2@att.net or whatafellowship.com when somebody else is talking. I like surrounding myself with the wonderful sounds of silence. I do not even like talking to myself. I do not listen anyway, so what is the use. Often in my life, I have regretted saying something, but never, to my knowledge, have I regretted keeping my mouth shut. Yes, I will stand up for some things, but many things I will just sit down and take it. No reason to get all riled up when what people are talking about is like a breeze on a summer afternoon. It comes for a moment and then it has gone, and where it goes, nobody knows. The apostle Paul knew what to stand for. “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage” (Galatians 5:1). ”If you do not stand for something good, you will fall for anything, usually bad." - Rev. James Snyder Prayer Line, Tuesdays and Thursdays, Christ Abundant Life Ministries, S. Dugger Ave., Roberta. Call 478- 836-3912. Word of God Tabernacle invites you to join us for the following weekly services: Sunday Prayer at 9:00 a.m., Sunday School at 10:00 a.m., Sunday Service at 11:00 a.m.; Monday Prayer at 9:00 a.m.; Wednesday Prayer at 9:00 a.m., Wednesday Bible Study at 7:00 p.m.; Friday Prayer at 9:00 a.m. Everyone is invited. Pastor Frank Martin, Sr. Springhill Baptist Church is providing free Tutoring Service every Monday at 5:30- 6:30 p.m. 71, Springhill Church Rd., Roberta. The Zion Hill Baptist Church will be celebrating their Women in Red and Men in Black program on Sunday, February 10, 2013 at 11:00 a.m. Please go out and help lift up the name of Jesus. EVERYONE IS WELCOME!! Refreshments will be served. Pop-Tops For Kade: ChristopherSmtihamember of the Fellowship Church and Sunday School Teacher wants your pop-tops! For each 1,000 tabs from drink cans St. Jude’s will give a free treatment. Kade Howard, a local little boy who is receiving treatment at St. Jude’s in Tennessee for medulloblastoma will benefit from the tabs being collected. To find out how to help and where to drop off your tabs call Christopher Smith at 478- 365-0441. Cerese Independent Church: The Women Ministry of Cereses Independent Church in Musella, GA will host their Woman in Red Program, Feb. 17, 2012 at 11:30 a.m. Guest speaker will be Minister Mia Collier of Thomaston, GA. They are asking your church family to at least send three of your inspiring women to participate in the program. For more info please contact Dana Montford 478-258- 7081. Deadline for Church Happenings: Friday 5 p.m. McLeighton Funeral Service view obituaries at www.mcleightonfuneralservice.coin 375 S. Dugger Avenue Roberta, Georgia 478-836-3336 Granite • Marble • Bronze • Coping • Monument Cleaning • Sandblasting ”Serving all Middle Georgia cemeteries 33 Kade £. Rooks P. O. Box 1711, Fort Valley, GA 31030 *478-825-2424 or 478-951-1571 *Fax: 478-825-3794
