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PAGE 6 - THURSDAY,
FEBRUARY 28, 2013
Sights And Sounds Of God's Throne
Revelation 4 provides a
glimpse of God’s throne in
heaven. John the Revelator
writes:
“I fell under the influence
of the Spirit; and behohl, a door
opened into heaven. There
I saw a throne and the One
seated on the throne appeared
in the dazzling brilliance of
jasper and carnelian, and
round thethronewasa rainbow
that shone like an emerald.
Surrounding the throne were
24 other thrones, and seated
on them were 24 elders. They
were dressed in white and
wore golden crowns on their
heads. From the throne came
flashes of lightning, and voices
and peals of thunder. In front
of the throne, seven torches
were blazing. These are the
se\’en spirits of God. Before the
throne was a sea of glass, clear
as crystal. Around the throne
were four living creatures.
Each had six wings and their
bodies werefull ofeyes, in front
and behind. The first creature
was the image of a lion, the
second like an ox, the third
had the face of a man, and the
fourth was like a flying eagle.
Day and night, the creatures
never stopped chanting:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord
God Almighty, who was, who
is, and who is to come!”Every
time the creatures chanted,
the 24 elders bowed down in
worship before the One sitting
on the throne, saying, “You
are worthy our Lord and God
to receive glory’ and honor and
power. You created all things,
and by your will they existed
and were created ”
In describing God, John
shuns human details. Instead,
he depicts “the One sitting on
the throne” in the sparkling
radiance of precious gemstones,
like jasper and carnelian. The
scripture states that “God
dwells in the light that no man
can approach.” God hid Moses
in the cleft of the rock as He
passed by, warning that “No
man can see my face and live.”
The 24 elders are angelic
beings symbolizing the 12 tribes
of Israel and the 12 apostles. In
the “New Jerusalem” that comes
down from heaven (Rev 22),
the names of the tribes of Israel
are written on the 12 city gates;
the apostles’ names on the 12
foundations of the city’s wall.
Voices of thunder and lightning
are manifestations of God and
reminiscent of the thunder and
lightning that accompanied
God’s appearance at Mount
Sinai when He gave the law
to Moses. The sea of glass
suggests an unencroachable
holy place between God and his
creatures.
The four living creatures In
Revelation are evocative of the
four mighty cherubim depicted
in Ezekiel 1 who guard God’s
throne. Each has four wings
Billy Powell
Columnist
www.billypowellbooks.com
and four faces: a man in front,
lion on right, ox on left, and
eagle from behind. Traveling
on wheels with embedded
eyes, they dart to and fro like
flashes of lightning, in all four
directions, without having to
turn.
Not only is John’s picture of
heaven’s throne awe-inspiring,
but it elicits extreme reverence
and worship. In contemplating
God’s majesty, His goodness
and mercy, the Psalmist wrote:
“Praise the Lord, 0 My soul. I
will praise the Lord all my life.
I will sing praises to Him as
long as I live.”
As I Was Saying To Myself...
Along about Friday of this
past week I noticed a strange
phenomenon stalking the
parsonage. Actually, it is not
that strange to notice something
strange at our parsonage. The
first thing I do every morning
when I go into the bathroom
and look into the mirror I see
something really strange.
This was something just a
little bit different in the strange
category. I suppose strange
has a wide range of categories
and levels and whatnot. That
being said, I am not quite sure
which level of strangeness this
phenomena that I discovered
this past week belongs.
This past week I was on my
own. My wife had left me.
Actually, I bought her a ticket
to send her to upstate New
York, which turned out to be the
coldest week in New York. Not
to mention the snow. And please,
don’t mention the snow.
I am not accustomed to being
on my own. The notorious
trinity; me, myself and I can get
into a lot of trouble. However, I
was by myself for this week and
in charge of everything.
I drove my wife to the airport,
returned and spent my first night
alone. I celebrated by eating
in bed. Oh, the crumbs, the
blessed crumbs were all around.
Nothing says home more than
crumbs in your bed. Normally,
potato chips are not permitted in
the bedroom but then, this is not
normally.
I got up the next morning,
sniffed the air and noticed
something strange. Usually
every morning I get up and
smell coffee brewing. Where in
the world is the coffee? I asked
myself. I went into the kitchen
and no coffee was brewing.
Then it dawned on me. I’m in
charge. Ha. Ha.
I grinned a big grin as I
brewed my morning coffee, and
the day was set. I left the house
for my office as I usually do.
All day long, I labored at my
laboring, and then it was time to
go home.
I went home and sat in my chair
to watch some evening news. I
began to realize something was
wrong.
I said to myself, “Where is
supper?”
Then it dawned on me. I’m in
charge. Ha.
I did not smile as much as
I shuffled into the kitchen to
look for something resembling
supper. I raided the refrigerator
of all the foodstuff I could find.
Then I put my supper together
and gravitated to the table to
enjoy my supper.
After the first bite of what I
called my “supper,” I said to
myself, “Yuck, this certainly
is not the fare I’m used to.”
I crunched it all and washed
it down with 3 gallons of
lukewarm coffee. Do not let this
get back to anybody that you
might know or that might know
me, but I am a lousy cook.
As I thought about this, I began
to evaluate the situation. It is not
my fault I am a bad cook. The
fault must lie with the Gracious
Mistress of the Parsonage. She
does all the cooking around
here and her cooking is so
marvelous that anything I might
set on the table is “yuck-fare” in
comparison. Through the years,
she has adequately trained me to
appreciate fine dining.
I tried to make a mental note
about this but could not find a
pencil at the time.
Then on Friday, I ran out of
underwear. This is something
new for me because it has never
happened before. I searched
through my dresser drawers and
could not find any underwear.
They have always been in my
dresser drawers for as long as
I can remember. Now, they are
nowhere to be found.
I cast a wistful eye in the
direction of the washer/dryer
and noticed a huge pile of dirty
underwear. Icanneverremember
this happening before. I said to
myself, “Why has nobody done
the laundry?” After all, I can
never remember a time when
the laundry has piled up quite as
much as it has this week.
Then it dawned on me. I’m in
charge.
Not really knowing how to
do laundry, I tried to work out a
plan of recycling my underwear.
After all, my wife is an expert
at recycling. She recycles
everything.
It was late Friday morning
when I noticed this afore
mentioned strange phenomenon.
®bifuaras
Betty Jean Stembridge
Harvey
Betty Jean Stembridge
Harvey was bom Dec. 4,
1953 to the late Johnnie Mae
Campbell and the late Thom
as Matthews, Jr. She attended
and graduated from Yates-
ville High School in 1972
and won 1st runner up for
Miss West Central Georgia.
She was employed by the
William Carter Company in
Thomaston GA for 25 years.
Betty gave her life to Christ
at a very young age as a mem
ber of Pine Grove Baptist
Church. She later became an
active member of Mt. Zion
CME Church in Roberta,
GA, where she assited with
the Food Ministry and served
on the usher board.
She was married to Thad-
deus Harvey Sr. and together
they had four children. She
was a very dedicated char
ity worker who was very
involved in her community.
Betty departed this life after
a long struggle with illness.
Ann ’’Mickey” Carroll
Hedley
Ann ’’Mickey” Car-
roll Hedley, 63, of Roberta
passed away on Wednesday,
February 20, 2013. She had
worked at Blue Bird Body
Company and was retired
from Robins Air Force Base.
She was preceded in death by
her father Elsie Carroll.
Survivors include her son,
Jody Hedley of Roberta; her
Out to Pastor
Rev. James L. Snyder
jamessnyder2@att.net or
whatafellowship.com
For the whole week, I have been
talking to myself. That was not
the strange thing. The strange
thing was, I noticed late Friday
morning, not only was I talking
to myself, but I was answering
myself and many times arguing
with myself. Now the problem
is, who is really winning the
argument?
I then remembered what the
Bible says, “And the Lord God
said, It is not good that the man
should be alone; I will make him
an help meet for him” (Genesis
2:18 KJV).
Even God knows that the man
He created needs a companion
or “help meet” to fulfill his life.
Sometimes we are apt to forget
the provisions God has made for
us. However, if a person comes
to the Bible with an open mind
and an open heart, he or she will
discover that God has our best
interest in mind for the longest
period of time.
Instead of talking to myself,
I spent a little time talking to
God and thanking Him for the
wonderful provisions He has
made for my life both now and
eternally.
mother, Ann Childre of For
syth; one sister, Linda Car-
roll Lowe (Randy) of Ro
berta; one grandson, Skyler
Hedley; nieces and nephews,
Jill Hortman Lewis (Josh)
of Roberta, Brian Hortman
(Heather) of Fairhope, AL;
three great nieces, Hannah
and Hayden Lewis of Ro
berta and Juliette Hortman of
Fairhope, AL.
The family received friends
at Mickey’s residence on Fri
day Feb. 22, 2013. Burial
was private.
McLeighton Funeral Ser
vices was in charge of the ar
rangements.
ChoosingA
Friend
The bible teaches us in
the book of Proverbs that,
“he that walketh with wise
men shall be wise, but a
companion of fools shall
be destroyed. “ When most
people need advice, they go
to their friends just because
friends accept them and
usually agree with them. But
that is why they may not be
able to help with difficult
problems. Our friends are
so much like us that they
may not have any answers,
we haven’t already heard.
Instead we should seek out
older and wiser people to
advise us. Wise people have
experienced a lot in life and
some succeeded because
they are not afraid to tell the
truth, You may ask, Who are
the wise people?” They are
godly people who can warn
you of the dangerous pitfalls
ahead only if you will listen.
The old saying, “A rotten
apple spoils the whole
barrel”, is often applied
to friendship and with
good reason. Our friends
and associates affect us,
sometimes a great deal. Be
careful whom you choose as
your close friends. We must
spend time with people who
are wise and who want the
best for you, not with people
who are critical and negative
about everything, because
you will resemble the person
whom you hang out with. So
if we hang out with God, we
will grow to be like Him, to
act like Him and to look like
Him. 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.
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.
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 Hiurs.
and Fri. ’’Highly Favoured,”
from West Virginia in concert!
ALL YOUTH welcome! The
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”- Phillipians 3:13.
Hie 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 Leaks 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.
Friendship Baptist Church
invites everyone to the 13th
Anniversary of Evangelist Mary
Ross preaching the Gospel,
Sunday, March 3rd, at 2:30
p.m. Hie guest pastor for the
occasion will be Pastor David
Towns of Welcome Home Full
Gospel Baptist Church of Butler
and Rocky Mt. Baptist Church.
Dinner will be served.
Roberta Chapter #467 OES
’’Knitting Together The
Bonds Of Sisterhood And
Brotherhood Through Christ
Jesus.” A prayer breakfast will
be held on March 2nd at 9:00
a.m. at the Older American
Council Center (OAC) located
next to the Board of Education
in Roberta. This will be a time
for building bridges and bonds
with our sisters and brothers in
Christ. There is a minimal S5.00
fee. Tickets are now on sale.
You may contact any member
of the Chapter to purchase a
ticket: Lula Neal: 478-954-4627,
Jeanette Bentley: 478-954-6664,
Debbie Gibson: 478-836-4758,
Sylvia Bentley: 478-836-4896,
Mary Tennyson: 478-836-4581,
or Constance Dean: 478-862-
5323.
Deadline
for Church
Happenings:
Friday 5 p.m.
IF(§M? s teSS2 J
1641 Peach Pkwy., Hwy:
49 N. Fort Valley, GA
McLeighton Funeral Service
viewobituanesatWww.mcleightonfuneralservice.com
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 E. Rooks
P. O. Box 1711, Fort Valley, GA 31030 *478-825-2424 or 478-951-1571 *Fax: 478-825-3794