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Will we have a body like Jesus ?
Following Jesus’ death
on the cross, his disciples
were disillusioned and
devastated that their master
had been crucified. Fearful
the same fate might befall
them, the disciples were
hiding behind closed
doors. Suddenly Jesus
passed through the walls
of the room where they
were assembled and spoke
to them. On a subsequent
appearance, doubting
Thomas actually saw and
touched Jesus’ nail-scared
hands and sword-pierced
side. Mary Magdalene
saw Jesus outside the tomb
and recognized him. The
resurrected Jesus ate fish
with his disciples at Lake
Galilee. Thus, the evidence
is indisputable that Jesus’
resurrection body was
tangible and recognizable.
Jesus looked just like he
did before his death, yet his
body could pass through
solid walls and appear or
disappear at will.
With a better
understanding of Jesus’
resurrection body, what
about us? What type of
body will we have? Paul
eliminated one possibility
when he wrote that “flesh
and blood cannot enter the
kingdom of God.” Using
the analogy of a seed, Paul
describes the transformation
process: “When you put
a seed into the ground, it
doesn’t grow into a plant
unless it dies first. And what
you put in the ground is not
the plant that will grow, but
only a bare seed of wheat
or grain. Then God gives it
the new body he wants it to
have. A different plant grows
from each kind of seed. It
is the same way with the
resurrection of the dead. Our
earthly bodies are planted
in the ground when we die,
but they will be raised to
live forever. Our bodies
are buried in brokenness,
but they will be raised in
glory. They are buried in
weakness, but they will be
raised in strength. They are
buried as natural human
bodies, but they will be
raised as spiritual bodies.”
Will our resurrection body
be like Jesus’ body? “Just
as we have borne the image
of the man of dust, we shall
also bear the image of the
man of heaven,” declares
Paul. “He will change our
lowly body to be like his
glorious body.”
Will we appear in heaven
as impersonal robot look-a
likes or will we recognize
each other? Our bodies will
reflect the unique imprint of
our personalities. We will be
recognizable just as Jesus was
recognized by Mary at the
tomb and the two disciples
on the road to Emmaus.
Will an elderly person enter
heaven stooped, frail, and
wrinkled? The scripture
provides no direct answer,
but it seems reasonable that
each person will have a body
that is not only recognizable,
but one that he or she would
be proud of. A person with
a cleft palate, deformed
Canyon hear me now, Uncle Sam?
You can imagine my feel
ings when I recently found
out that good old Uncle
Sam was checking up on my
phone calls, email messages
and the rest of the social
networking. Finally, some
body is really watching out
for me.
It is more than that.
Somebody is so interested in
my affairs they are getting
involved in my telephone
conversations. I must admit
that at first I was a little sus
picious about all of this.
For example. What does
Uncle Sam know about me
and my phone calls that I do
not know?
I get an awful lot of
telephone calls during the
course of a week. Some are
friends, some are family,
some are trying to sell me
the Brooklyn Bridge. Even
if I lived in New York City,
I would not want to own the
Brooklyn Bridge. Can you
imagine how much it costs
to keep that thing up and
running?
As I said, at first I was
a little suspicious about
somebody listening into my
phone calls. Then I remem
bered that back in ’’the day,”
everybody did that. We had
what was called the ’’party
line” telephone system. That
meant that everybody was
connected to everybody else.
My grandmother for
example, lived in a valley
up in the mountains. She
was on the party line, of
course, and everybody had a
special ring. Grandma’s ring
was two long and one short
rings. Whenever the tele
phone rang, dear old grand
mother knew who was being
called and, being a nosy
person, she usually listened
into the conversations. I am
not picking on my grand
mother, for everybody did it.
Everybody knew everybody
was doing it.
It was gossiper’s heaven.
I think there is something
to be said for everybody
knowing everybody’s busi
ness. That way everybody is
up and up on the things they
are talking about.
Of course, there is a
dark side to it. I am semi-
ashamed to reveal that I was
part of that dark side.
Whenever anybody
wanted to send out a rumor
there was always the party
line telephone system. My
cousin and I got together and
cooked up some juicy minor
about old Henry up the val
ley. Henry had never been
married and was probably in
his 70s at the time.
We started the minor that
Henry had a girlfriend.
It did not take long for
everybody in the valley to
know that Henry, who had
been a bachelor for over
seventy years, now had a
special love interest. The big
question coming through the
party line was, who is this
lucky woman?
Before long, this got a
little out of control. Every
body believed that Henry
had a special love interest
and it got to the point that
Henry himself believed he
had a love interest.
I remember going with my
grandmother to the grocery
store and we happened to
mn into good old Henry. My
grandmother, who was the
queen of the gossipers, took
this opportunity to speak to
Henry.
”Oh Henry,” she said as
we approached him. ”1 heard
the news that you have a
girlfriend. I’m so happy for
you. You’ll have to bring her
over to my house for coffee
and cake some time.”
’’Thank you, Mary,” Henry
said with the biggest smile
I have ever seen him wear.
”I’ve never been happier.”
At this point, I did not
know what to do. Every
body was so happy with
this minor, especially old
Henry, that the truth would
have destroyed the entire
valley. I did think of starting
a minor that Henry and his
new girlfriend had a fight
and broke up. However, on
second thought, Henry was
so happy these days, I just
hated to spoil his life.
I never knew how that
turned out. The last time I
saw Henry he was smiling
and thanking people for con
gratulating him on having a
girlfriend. Some people need
to feel happy, I suppose.
I guess it is my time to be
fooled by my uncle, and I
deserve it.
I really do not mind if
1 John 4:11
"Dearfriends, since God so loved
us, we also ought to love one
another
McLeighton Funeral Service
obituaries at www.mcleightonfuneralservice.coin
375 S. Dugger Avenue
Roberta, Georgia
478-836-3336
David & Donna
McLeighton - owners
’Our Family Serving
Your Family
PAGE 6 - THURSDAY,
JUNE 13, 2013
Billy Powell
Columnist
www.billypowellbooks.com
limbs, a badly burned body,
or disfigured face would not
be happy being saddled with
that appearance throughout
eternity. Since heaven will
be a place of eternal bliss and
personal satisfaction, our new
bodies can be expected to be
devoid of every imperfection.
Jesus was around 30-years
old during his public ministry.
The 30 to 45 age range seems
to be the optimum age range
for occupants of heaven from
the standpoint of appearance
and distinguishing features.
In conclusion, our post
resurrection bodies will be
tangible, yet devoid of flesh
and blood, but invulnerable
to disease and death.
Out to Pastor
Rev. James L. Snyder
jamessnyder2@att.net or
whatafellowship.com
good old Uncle Sam is go
ing to listen in on my social
networking ’’party line,” but
I do have a few rules that I
would like to establish.
Rule number one. Uncle
Sam do not repeat anything
you hear said on my ’’party
line.” Let’s keep some of
that stuff between us. Okay?
Some of what you’re going
to hear may not be alto
gether, what should I say,
truthful. Especially, if you
only hear a portion of the
conversation.
Rule number two. If while
listening in on the conversa
tion of mine and the other
party happens to be some
salesman trying to sell me
something, please feel free
to butt into the conversation.
After all, the salesman is try
ing to take a dollar out of my
pocket and you know how
much you want that dollar!
Rule number three. If the
conversation you overhear
is concerning you, keep in
mind we’re talking about the
’’other” Uncle Sam.
It is hard to keep anything
secret these days. In fact,
there is not much to keep
secret anymore.
The only secret I’m really
interested in is what God
has. His promise to me is,
’’Call unto me, and I will
answer thee, and shew thee
great and mighty things,
which thou knowest not”
(Jeremiah 33:3 KJV).
God hears me all the time
and knows everything about
me.
Just
Relax
I’m reminded of a story
when Jesus entered into
a ship and the disciples
followed Him. The bible
says there arose a great
storm so much that the
ship was covered with
waves and Jesus was
asleep. And His disciples
came to Him and awoke
Him, saying Lord save us;
lest we perish. Mark 4:35-
41.
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 them 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.
The Marshall Family will
hold their 15th family reunion
on Saturday, June 29, 2013,
at Lizella United Methodist
Church Family Life Center,
2920 South Lizella Road,
Lizella, beginning at 10 a.m.
with covered dish lunch at
noon. Bring photos and other
memorabilia that you would
like to share. Descendants and
friends of Joseph and Nancy
Layfield Marshall’s children
and spouses: James Franklin
(Adaline Kitchens), Rebecca
Frances (William Edwards),
Sarah Ann (Anderson
Arnold), John Loudy ( Sarah
Walker & Martha Tharp),
Mary Elizabeth (Columbus
Madison Newberry), Cicero
Harrison (Mary Ann Eubanks
& Susie A. Hamlin),Martha
Ann (Thomas Calvin Arnold),
Henry Doss (Rosannah
Hunnicutt), Amelia (Jones
Washington Arnold), Joseph,
Jr. (Sarah Hunnicutt) are
invited. Everyone is also
invited to join the family
Friday, June 28, at 6 p.m. at
S&S Cafeteria, Eisenhower
Parkway, Macon, for dinner.
Call (478)935-8364 or e-mail
joyce.mosely@cox.net.
Roberta Baptist Church
will hold Vacation Bible
School the week of June 10,
6-9 p.m.. This year’s theme is
’’under the Big Top”. Call the
church for more information.
Cool Spring Baptist 153rd
Anniversary/Family and
Friends Day
Now looking at this
story; imagine yourself on
this boat in the storm and
Jesus is asleep. Would we be
like the disciples and wake
him up? I must admit, I
probably would. But Jesus
here is telling the disciples,
“Why are ye fearful; O ye of
little faith?” Just relax;
there’s no need to panic. I
am that I am; I can make the
wind and the sea obey me. I
am Alpha and Omega; the
beginning and the ending. I
am in control.
When we truly understand
who God is, we will realize
that just as he controls a
physical storm he can
control the storms of a
troubled heart. His mighty
power that calmed this storm
can also help us to deal with
the problems we face. He is
willing to help if we only
ask Him and keep the faith.
So when the storms of life
come, just relax and know
that God is in control! Be
Blessed.
The Cool Spring Baptist
Church members would like
to extend an invitation to
you and your church family
to attend the 153rd Church
Anniversary and Family and
Friends Day on Sunday, June
16, 2013 at 11 a.m. They
will be pleased to have you
gather to celebrate our rich
heritage. The speaker for this
occasion will be the dynamic
’’Reverend Colby McKenzie”
of The Shade Arnold Baptist
Church of Montezuma,
Georgia. They look forward
to worshiping with you.
Cool Spring Baptist will
have a three night Summer
Revival, June 10-12,
beginning nightly at 7:30
p.m. A different man of God
will bring the word of God.
Mon., June 10th, Rev. Morris
Hillmans & Shiloh Baptist
Church (choir),
Tues., June 11th, Rev. Dexter
Jordan & Stone Creek Baptist
Church
Wed., June 12th, Rev.
MacArthur Childs & Mary
Lizzie and Mt. Gillard Baptist
Church; Springhill Baptist
Church, Gordon Chapel
A.M.E. Church, Gillard
Church of Christ, Tessie Hall
Baptist Church, Pleasant
Grive Church (Musella),
Musella Lodge #381.
Special Needs Ministry
Event - June 14, 2013, 7-9
p.m. Fitness is Fun! Lizella
Baptist Church, 2950 South
Lizella Road, Lizella, GA
31052. For more information
call, 478-935-8632.
Macedonia Baptist Church
& St. James Baptist Church
Vacation Bible School will
be held June 17-19 from 6 -
8 p.m. at Macedonia Baptist
Church. Theme: Jesus Is All
You Need. Come and enjoy
the fellowship, fun and food.
Contact: David Mathews at
478-972-4648 or Eamestine
Sibley at 770-468-9618 for
additional information.
Deadline for Church
Happenings: Friday 5 p.m.
Church Happenings
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