About The Georgia post. (Knoxville, Crawford County, Ga.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 7, 2013)
PAGE 6 - THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2013 Conclusions Reachable Without Biblical Guidance From the Holy Bible, we learn the story of creation, gain insight into the character of God, receive instruction on the standards for righteous living, and discover the etemalrewards of faith. Had the Bible never been written, below are “four major conclusions,” deducible through reasoning and logic, regarding the existence of a Supreme Being, the creation of this world and mankind, the knowledge of right and wrong, and the possibility of life beyond the grave: (1) The glory of creation s' om the splendor of a butterfly to the precision of the heavenly bodies—bespeaks of a world that did not happen by chance, but came into existence through the handiwork of a Supreme Creator. The Old Testament names for God like Yahweh and Jehovah would be unknown; our god of revelation might be called the “Uncaused Cause.” Without New Testament guidance, the Trinitarian concept of God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) would be incomprehensible. Further, had Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John never been written, Jesus and the Holy Spirit would be existentially irrelevant. (2) It’s obvious that man was not the result of an evolutionary process, like Darwinism. There are no fish crawling up on the seashore, no land animals transitioning into birds, and no intermediate stages between apes and men. A mythical genealogical record that traced our ancestry back to the first human would dead-end with a man without a navel. The absence of a navel would evidence birth in an unconventional way and lead us to the inescapable conclusion of divine intervention. The Bible reveals man’s raw material to be the “dust of the earth.” A Bible-less speculator might conclude that man was spontaneously generated from nothingness. (3) The Ten Commandments need not be written down in a holy book, because they are engraved on our hearts. Any normal, rational individual instinctively knows it is wrong to kill, to steal, to commit adultery, to covet, to bear false witness. In effect, the Mosaic tablets of the Law are non- essential to righteous living. Praise God for them, though. (4) The quest for immortality is programmed into all humans; an aspiration not shared by animal life. Without the Bible, knowledge of heaven or hell wouldbcnoncxistcnt. Wcmight reason, however, that a system of reward and punishment existed in the world beyond- rooted in the assumption that Hitler and Mother Theresa would not occupy the same eternal destination. Om view of the afterlife might simulate the Hindus who believe the human soul returns after death to embody another being-that life and death is a vicious cycle wherein a person advances up or down the scale of existence based on the quality of his past life. Nefariously evil persons, for example, could retrogress back to cockroaches. Without Biblical guidance to shape our understanding of the afterlife, Billy Powell Columnist www.billypowellbooks.com we might assimilate the simplistic view of the ancient Indians who believed that, after death, the spirit of the deceased person transitioned to the Happy Hunting Ground. Through God’s providence, the “Good News” is we do have the Holy Bible. We know that om final resting place need not be a lonely spot in a forgotten cemetery, but an eternal home with God. Jesus said, “Whosoever believeth in Me shall have eternal life.” Before His departure, Jesus promised that He was going away “to build a place of many mansions,” and that He would return for us—that “where He is, we shall be also.” Beware, O, Ye Blasted Hacker Under normal circum stances, I am a rather cool, calm and collected person. I say normal because not everything in my life is normal. It takes a lot to rattle this cage of mine but once rattled lookout whoever rattles it. I am saying all this to get to my point, which is, somebody hacked my computer email account this past week. If you think I will take this sitting down, oh, I guess I am sitting down right now, but I assure you I will not stand for something like this. I have never been so rattled in my life. If a mistake is mine, I will own up to it. If it is not mine, lookout sender. The first thing I did was to call my cousin who is an attorney, Charles Sues-A-Lot, and laid the case out before him. My first question to my cousin attorney was very basic; “Is it still against the law to murder someone?” As all good attorneys do, he hesitated and thought about it. He then went on to explain that if he could prove insanity there was a good chance he could get somebody off very lightly. “Insanity,” I asked, “is that hard to prove in a court of law?” At this point, there was no hesitation whatsoever. My good lawyer cousin said, “Not in your case.” If insanity runs in our family, I am convinced it trotted over into his pasture a long time ago and has been milling around for years. At this point, murder is out. If I actually knew who this person was, I could “defriend” them like they do on Facebook. You can be sure I would defriend him with all of the sarcastic bitterness I could muster on that hot dog. I noticed this last week when I accessed my email a bunch of different pop-ups popped up on my screen. Instinctively I tried to unpop them without any success whatsoever. Every time there was a “pop-up,” I had the instinctive desire to pop someone in the nose. A memorial service will be held for Larry Newman on February 9, 2013 at 2 p.m. at the Roberta Crawford Civic Center 93 South Matthews Street. All friends and relatives are inivted. For more information call: Elizabeth Newman 478-718-5185 At one stage, it got out of control and about 17,000 pop-ups jumped onto my computer screen at the same time. Without thinking, I immediately turned off my computer. If anybody knows what I did, you realize what I did was a terrible thing to do. I encrypted, or whatever the term is, these pop- ups permanently on my computer. When I opened up my computer, it was pop-up time for the hacker. Things can be done to “unhack” your computer, which I put in full force. I really wanted to hack into this hacker’s life except he probably does not have one. I mean, after all, where are the jollies of hacking into someone’s email account? I can see someone hacking into my bank account. I would love to see someone hack into my bank account and see how much money I don’t have. If I was a small government, I could see somebody trying to hack into my email accounts. As it stands, where is the payoff in doing something like this? This ghost hacker cannot see me and my frustration after being hacked. So, what is the good of it all? These pop-ups on my computer were coming fast and furious. Then it hit me. This is not some ghost hacker hacking into my email account, it must be the government. The government must be behind it. I remember something called “fast and furious” in the news a while back. Was this what they were talking about? Am I now a casualty of Big Brother-itis? There were many similarities between what I was going through and our government. First off, the whole thing was rather annoying. I am not sure there has ever been a time in our country when the government has been more Out to Pastor Rev. James L. Snyder jamessnyder2@att.net or whatafellowship.com annoying than now. Then, all the hacking did not make any sense to me at all. How much of the government is really making sense to anybody anymore? I am sure there is somebody, somewhere who can make sense out of our government but he is probably on the run. All of this hacking of my email has interrupted my life. So has the government. The government has taken on a new phase where it is not happy unless it is interrupting my life every day of the week. I would not mind so much if the government would take at least one day a week off. But no, it is a 24/7 kind of annoyance. A friend of mine said that everybody goes through this sort of thing and it is kind of an equal share in the misery of being on the Internet. Equal share? That’s government lingo if ever I heard it. After three days oftorturous working at my computer, I finally got the pop-ups to stop. I changed the password of my email account and brought all of this nonsense to a stop. I won the battle against that blasted hacker who tried to ruin my week. With a steaming cup of coffee and my open Bible, I read some comforting words. “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, then he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4 KJV). My relationship is of such a nature with God that nobody can hack into that relationship. I rest completely in God’s competent hands. McLeighton Funeral Service View Obituaries at www.mcleightonfuneralservice.com More Than A Conqueror How many of us have short term memory when it comes to God’s promises? We are all guilty. We know what the word says. We go to church and begin to rejoice, jump and shout when the pastor says something that touches us and reminds us of our faith, only to go home and have our short term memory affected by the circumstances around us. I wonder if God is looking at us and saying; “Now didn’t we just go over that?” Romans 10:17 tells us faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. It’s not enough just to hear the Word but we have to believe it also. The Word also tells us all of His promises are “yea and amen.” The bible is full of God’s promises. Even in the midst of hard economic times, many may be feeling they’relosing thebattle. But you can rest in knowing we have the victory, because God says we are “more than a conqueror.” Nothing we can ever face is too hard for Him. God has given us His Word as a reminder for us. You say, I’m poor: God’s Word says; “wealth and riches are in your house, Deut: 8:18; You say, I’m sick: God’s Word says; Jesus bore our pain and carried our sickness. He was pierced through for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities. The punishment fell on Him and “by his stripes, we are healed.” Isaiah 53:4-5. You say, I’m lonely: His Word says; “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Heb 13:5. You say, I don’t have enough, “God’s Word says “my God shall supply all of my needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:19. You say, I’m afraid: His Word says “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind. II Tim 1:7. All of these are His promises and it lets us know that we are more that a conqueror. As we face each day, it begins with a promise: “call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know,” Jer.33:3 Be blessed! Church Happenings 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. 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. The Lighthouse Church Movie Day: Saturday Feb. 23rd. Bring teh kids and their friends too for a free and fun Saturday movie morning including popcorn and drinks beginning at 10 a.m. They will be showing the ’’Veggie Tales” movie ’’Robin Good” at 10:30 a.m. In keeping with the motto of the movie they ask that you bring one item to donate to the local food bank. The Lamb’s Well: Vacation Bible School Preview February 21, 2013 come to a free preview of 2013 Vacation Bible School programs. An great opportunity for VBS Directors, Children’s Church Leaders, Pastors and other who work with children. Refreshments and door prizes. Two sessions offered 2-4 p.m. or 6-8 p.m. RSVP early- space is limited 478-971-2677. Pop-Tops For Kade: Christopher Smtih a member 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. CereselndependentChurch: The Women Ministry of Cereses Independent Church in Musella, GA will host their Woman in Red Program, Feb. Deadline for Church Happenings: Friday 5 p.m. 1 John 4:11 ’’Dearjriends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another!’ 375 S. Dugger Avenue Roberta, Georgia 478-836-3336 David & Donna McLeighton - owners ’Our Family Serving Your Family 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
