About The Georgia post. (Knoxville, Crawford County, Ga.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 21, 2013)
PAGE 6 - THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21. 2013 Mans Expiration Date & Declining Lifespan Many products have an expiration date. When reached, the product is no longer usable. Examples are light bulbs whose filaments bum out and can no longer conduct electricity, batteries whose cells lose electrolytes and can no longer crank automobiles, and medicines that lose potency and become pharmaceutically ineffective. Humans also have expiration dates. The human body, consisting of perishable flesh, bones and blood, succumbs to the ravages of time until it wears out and dies. Many years ago, an elderly gentleman and exemplary Christian, Mr. Ralph Barnett, regularly attended Wednesday night prayer services. One night Mr. Barnett didn’t show up. His friend and contemporary, Morris McDaniel, reported that Barnett had passed away. I asked McDaniel what happened. McDaniel replied, “Billy, there was no particular cause of death; Ralph simply wore out.” God originally created Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden to be immortal. God forbad them from eating of the Tree of Knowledge, warning them that disobedience would bring death. But Adam and Eve succumbed to Satan’s enticements and consumed the forbidden fruit. For violating His command, God issued a terse ten-word judgment that stripped Adam and Eve of immortality and relegated them to the realm of humanity: “From dust thou came, and unto dust thou shalt return.” Thus, by God’s decree, man dropped from the perch of immortality to grow old and die. Adam lived 930 years followed by his son, Seth- 912 years, Enosh-905, Kenan-910, Mahalalel-895, Jared-962, Enoch-300 (translated), Methusaleh-969, Lamech-777, and Noah-950. Excluding Enoch, who was translated, the average age of the ten generations of Adam was 912 years. This seems like an extraordinarily long life, but compared to God’s original plan for man to live forever, such a lifespan doesn’t constitute a plot point on the scale of eternity. Before the flood in Noah’s day, God issued a sharp reduction in man’s lifespan, declaring: “My Spirit will not always remain with mankind, because they are corrupt. Their days will be 120 years.” We see God’s edict gaining traction in the ten generations of Noah. Shem, Noah’s son, lived 600 years followed by Arpachshad-438, Shelah-433, Eber-464, Peleg-239, Reu- 239, Serug-230, Nahor-148, Terah-205, and Abraham-175. Noah’s ten generations averaged 317 years. This constitutes a decline of 595 years from Adam’s ten generations (912-317=595). Therefore, from God’s decree before the flood to Abraham’s era, man’s lifespan dropped from the 900 level to the 200 level. The 120-year level was reached in the successive generations from Abraham’s son, Isaac, to Moses. Isaac lived 180 years, followed by Jacob-147, Joseph-110, Levi, 137, Kohath-133, Amram Billy Powell Columnist www.billypowellbooks.com (Moses’ father)-137, Aaron (Moses’ brother)-123, and Moses-120. Moses’ successor, Joshua, who led the invasion and conquest of Canaan, lived 110 years. Thereafter, afurtherreduction occurred when Psalms 90:10 promulgated: “The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years.” King David attained the new age standard, living to be 70 years old. Today, life expectancy in the United States is 78 years. In Japan, it’s 83. How can we extend our lifespan? Exodus 20:12 prescribes the formula: “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long.” As Brilliant Schemes Go, Mine Didn't Throughout the years, I have come up with a few schemes. None of which has ever done me anything good, and yet I still spend the energy to try to come up with one that will. It all began quite innocently enough as a Christmas present. When it comes to shopping for Christmas presents I just flop triumphantly. I was not made to go shopping. When I get into a mall, I begin to feel the walls closing in on me. I develop a panic, begin sweating profusely and then head for my car without looking back. About the Christmas present. Aha, that was the solution to my Christmas shopping and a brilliant scheme that would benefit both of us. This past Christmas I purchased for my lovely wife a round-trip ticket to New York to visit her family for a week. A week of her enjoying her family and they reciprocating the enjoyment. I did mention it was a “round-trip ticket.” I do not mind sending her away as long as it includes a plan to return. Now, the brilliant side of my scheme. While she is in New York visiting with her relatives, I would be king of the castle. I have been looking forward to this for a long time. She gets to have fun with her relatives, and I get to have fun with myself. For the week, I will turn our rather pleasant little domicile into a rip, snorting man cave. Ah, the thought of it was wonderful. The house would be mine for a week, and nobody would be supervising me. Nothing I like more than a week of no supervision. Oh sure, I could get into a lot of trouble, but what’s life for if we cannot sample a wee bit of trouble occasionally. For one, I would be in charge of the menu for the week. I was really looking forward to this. Before she left, my wife made me promise that I would eat my fruits and vegetables and I would have a balanced diet every day. With a twinkle in my eye, more twinklely than normal, I agreed to her stipulations. I had my diet already planned in my head. For a whole week, there would be no such things as salads for every meal. How she can come up with the variety of salads she serves is beyond my aching head. She honestly believes that a salad makes the world go round. Now, no salads in this house, correction, man cave, for a whole week. I love it when a plan comes together. I shall be faithful to the fruits and vegetable regimen she made me promise. After all, one woman’s vegetable is another man’s speculation. My main vegetable of the week would be [drum roll] carrot cake. Don’t try to tell me carrot is not a vegetable. I will sick Bugs Bunny on you if you do. I plan to have a carrot every day of the week. And for fruit? You guessed it. Apple fritters. You know the old saying, “An Apple fritter a day makes any man happy.” I have made every plan to be happy this week. I am not sure if the bakery is going to be able to keep up with my orders this week. A man has to have his fruit. My basic philosophy during this week is summed up in the old saying, ’’The world could end at any minute. Eat dessert first!” My dessert of course is fruit by nature. A banana split. Any meal that begins with a banana split is going to be an awesome meal to be sure. It was only Thursday when I became aware of something. There was this smell in the house. I looked into the kitchen area and dishes were piled upon the counter. The table where I usually sit down to eat was filled with all kinds of stuff. I do not want to know what it was. I looked in the bedroom, the laundry basket was full and overflowing and I could not see the bed. I thought to myself, why are these things piling up? They would not do that if my wife were here. Are they trying to embarrass me or what? I stood in the kitchen with my hands on my hips and I was about to give this man cave a good piece of my mind. Then Betty Jean Harvey Atlanta , GA- Mrs. Betty Jean Harvey passed on February 3, 2013 . Services were held on Saturday, February 9 at Pine Grove Baptist Church with burial in Gatlin Cemetery. Survivors: husband, Thaddeus Harvey Sr., Roberta; sons, Dr. Thaddeus Harvey Jr., Atlanta, Thomas Tavadous Harvey, Lawrenceville, GA; daughters, Shenica King, Marietta, Qua- jula DeShawn Harvey, Clarkston; sisters, Severa Lovelace, Bamesville, Ethel Mae Moore, Macon; 9 grandchildren. Services were entrusted to Bentley & Sons Funeral Home, Macon. Thank You Our ’’Thankful List” is more than just a way to keep track of the special people God has brought into our life to love. It is a treasured love scrapbook filled with pleasant memories of all the times God answered through friends and family. Every name is a touch stone that leads to a place and time where God has used another’s heart to reach out and touch ours. It may have hap pened years ago or yesterday, our list has changed over time, but every person on our list has changed our life in some way. Through simple conversation, a warm hug, a flower or shared meal, every person on our list has helped us grow, heal, laugh, love, leam or even smile. The blessings never end as God allowed our paths to cross as family and friends. So it’s a Thank You to God for putting each name on our list. We hold each and ev eryone whose name we’ve come to hold so dear, those who have shown us joy throughout the years. Appreciately, The Family of the Late Betty Jean Stembridge Harvey What Manner Of Man What manner of man knows how many hairs of us have on our heads? Think about it; No man can know this; but God. He knows everything about us; the good and the bad. One thing for sure; we might can fool everyone else but we can’t fool God. He knows our hidden agendas. He knows whether we re ally love Him or not; for this is the first command ment. God wants to be our first love. I must admit I am guilty because I sometimes find myself putting other things first and I openly re pent, “Lord, please forgive me and help me to love you with all my heart mind and soul. You see, there’s noth ing about us he doesn’t know. What manner of man is this? That can love us unconditionally; despite of our faults, our sins and wrong doings. And do you know what God wants? He wants us to know and love Him; to know all we can about Him and to love Him as He loves us. His desire is that we love, worship and obey Him. We cannot say that we have it all together because we lie if we say we do. There is nothing about us that God doesn’t know. What manner of man is this? Be Blessed. Church Happenings Out to Pastor Rev. James L. Snyder jamessnyder2@att.net or whatafellowship.com I stopped. At that moment, I realized I had become my wife. Perhaps, and I am just making a suggestion here, I have gained anew appreciation for my better half. Things just do not happen around the house. Somebody has to make them happen. By Friday, I had come to my senses and realized the old saying I did not quite appreciate until this week. “Two can live cheaper than one.” I am not sure about the cheaper part of it, but I know two can live cleaner than one, especially if that one is Yours Truly. I thought of a Bible verse throughout the week, “Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered” (1 Peter 3:7). After all these years, I am just beginning to understand what it means to “dwell” with my wife. McLeighton Funeral Service View Obituaries at 375 S. Dugger Avenue Roberta, Georgia 478-836-3336 www.mcleightonfuneralservice.com David & Donna McLeighton - owners ’Our Family Serving Your Family 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. 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. The Lighthouse Church Movie Day: Saturday Feb. 23rd. Bring the 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 headers, 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. Livingstone Baptist Church will be having a morning of ’’Praise and Worship” with Tammie Klima in concert Sunday, Feb. 24th at 11:00 a.m. For more info contact Mr. Shelnutt at 478-825-5706. Evangelistic House of Prayer: Revival services starting Sunday, Feb. 24 at 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. and Mon.- Fri. at 7:00 p.m. each night. Pastor Delmar Stillwell from West Virginia will be bringing the messages. Special music Sun.- Wed. from their very own EHOP Family. For more info call Pastor Ronnie Hollis Jr. at 478-719-7204. Special Youth services Thurs. and Fri. ’’Highly Favoured,” from West Virginia in concert! AFF YOUTH welcome! Hie Nelons ’’Come On Home Tour,” Wednesday, March 6, 2013 at 7:00 p.m. For more information call: Jessica at 478-955-0761 or Ronnie at 478-719-7204. St. James Baptist Church will be celebrating Rev. Charles French and his wife’s second year as pastor and first lady, second Sunday March 10, 2013 at 11:30 a.m. Hie guest speaker for this special occassion will be Tawanda Walker from Eastman, GA. Word of God Tabernacle: 2013 Men’s Conference- ’’Men Determined to Move Forward Collectively”- Pliilhpians 3:13. The men of WOGT invites you and your church family to their annual Men’s Conference on Wednesday, February 27 and Friday, March 1, 2013. The speakers will be: Pastor Oliver Feaks from Fresh Manna Ministries, Bamesville, GA on 2/27 and Pastor Calvin Minter from Ross Chapel, Roberta, GA on 3/1. Services will begin at 7:30 p.m. each night. Deadline for Church Happenings: Friday 5 p.m. (Shrist SQffijDlj ■ i l 11 * j [ ■ r- r-) — gM 1641 Peach Pkwy.,Hwy 49 N. Fort Valley, GA Granite • Marble • Bronze • Coping • Monument Cleaning • Sandblasting ”Serving all Middle Georgia cemeteries 33 Kade E. Rooks P. O. Box 1711, Fort Valley, GA 31030 *478-825-2424 or 478-951-1571 *Fax: 478-825-3794
