The Tale of Two Trees
On the third day of cre
ation God placed two trees
in the Garden of Eden: the
“Tree of Life” and the “Tree
of the Knowledge of Good
and Evil.” The former was a
fountain of youth—those who
ate thereof would live forever.
The other tree produced fruit
that was forbidden by God.
The Lord warned Adam and
Eve “not to eat from the tree
of the knowledge of good and
evil, for if you do, you will
certainly die.” As the story
goes, a crafty serpent came
along and beguiled Eve to eat
of the forbidden fruit. The ser
pent said: “You will surely not
die; for God knows that when
you eat from the tree your eyes
will be opened, and you will
be like God, knowing good
and evil.” You know the rest
of the story. Eve succumbed to
the temptation and ate the for
bidden fruit. She then offered
some to her husband, who also
ate the forbidden fruit.
Suddenly Adam and Eve’s
eyes were opened. Realizing
their nakedness, they sewed
fig leaves together and made
coverings for their bodies.
God responded to their dis
obedience by levying curses
on them. He told Eve, “I will
make your pains in childbear
ing very severe; with painful
labor you will give birth to
children.” To Adam, God said,
“Cursed is the ground because
of you; through painful toil
you will eat food from it all
the days of your life... By the
sweat of your brow you will
eat your food until you return
to the ground, since from it
you were taken; for dust you
are and to dust you will re
turn.” So Adam and Eve, once
placed in a virtual paradise
where they would live forever,
were now relegated to mortal
beings who would die at the
end of their earthly sojourn.
God then addressed another
issue. He knew that if Adam
and Eve ate from the Tree of
Life, they would live forever
in their fallen, sinful state.
Consequently, He banished
them from the Garden of Eden
and placed an angel with a
flaming sword at its entrance
to block access to the Tree of
Life.
Romans states that the death
penalty devolved to all mor
tal men, because Adam’s de
scendants inherited his sinful
nature: “Therefore, just as
sin entered the world through
one man (Adam), and death
through sin, and in this way
death came to all people, be
cause all sinned.” So God
devised a plan of rescue. He
turned to another tree—the
cross upon which Christ was
crucified. On that tree, Christ
became the “curse of God” for
us, so that we might become
the “righteousness of God”
through Him.
In summation, God cre
ated man for immortality. But,
Whatever Happened to Those
Lazy Days of Summer
According to my calcula
tions, summer is half over.
I am not quite sure how this
came about but the calendar
has never lied to me before.
It has confused me and
taunted me but it has never
lied to me.
Looking at my calendar I
can see no lazy days of sum
mer noted anywhere in the
foreseeable future. I am not
sure if this is an oversight
on my part and that I should
have at least penciled in one
lazy day of summer or if
those lazy days of summer
are a thing of the past. I sure
hope it is not the latter.
I can hardly imagine a
world without any lazy days
of summer. It just would not
be summer in my opinion.
This probably is the price
people pay for getting old.
When I was young most of
my summer was filled with
lazy days where I practiced
the fine art of doing nothing.
Oh how I yearn for the return
of those good old days of
yesteryear.
Someone once told me,
’’Sonny, don’t ever grow
old.” At the time, I did not
know what he meant. I as
sumed he was referring to his
loss of hair or arthritis in his
joints or forgetting things.
I thought that was what it
meant to grow old. He meant
nothing of the sort.
Now that I am old, I under
stand exactly what he was
warning. There is no doubt
in my mind; he was bemoan
ing the fact that his lazy days
were gone. Perhaps, he was
envious of the fact that at the
time I had loads and loads
of lazy days on my hands. I
did not know just how rich
I was.
Now I do, but it is too late.
Where have all those lazy
days gone?
I was whining about this
to the Gracious Mistress of
the Parsonage hoping to get
some empathy at least.
Instead of sympathizing
with me, all she did was look
at me and say in that tone of
voice that I know so well,
’’You just want an excuse to
do nothing.”
To which I replied most
sharply, ”1 don’t need an ex
cuse to do nothing, all I need
is an opportunity. ”
Thinking about what I said
I discovered there was more
wisdom in that one sentence
than anything else I have
ever said. I had to sit in the
comer for a few moments
recovering from the shock
of saying something with
Out to Pastor
Rev. James L. Snyder
jamessnyder2@att.net or
whatafellowship.com
wisdom in it. I probably say
many things with wisdom
in it without even thinking.
In fact, I am good at saying
many things without think
ing.
Although I may not be
good at a wide variety of
things, I have mastered the
art of doing nothing. I can do
nothing better than I can do
anything. Of course, I do not
have too many opportunities
to do anything; I have more
opportunities to do nothing.
If I had my choice, I would
rather do nothing than any
thing.
My philosophy is simply
this, why be good at nothing
and not put it to good use?
I have invested a lot of
time and energy into doing
LAZY
CONTINUED , Page 8
Obituary}
Charles Oscar
Wilder
Graveside services for
Charles Oscar Wilder, 85,
of Fort Valley were held
on Saturday, July 27, 2013
at Roberta City Cemetery.
Mr. Wilder passed away on
Thursday, July 25, 2013 at
Medical Center of Central
GA.
He was a member of
First Baptist Church of Fort
Valley, the Veteran Foreign
Wars, American Legion. He
was an avid hunter and fish
erman. He loved to cook for
his family and friends.
He was preceded in death
by his parents, Wilson and
Clyde Wilder and daughter,
Lisa Posey.
Survivors include his
wife, Mary Frances “Fran”
Wilder of Fort Valley; two
daughters, Nancy Wilder
Hutto (Chuck) of Fort Val
ley and Marcia Hitt of Cum-
ming, GA; one brother, Au
brey Wilder (Helen) of Fort
Valley; two sisters, Reba
Harrison (Holmes) of Bra-
selton, GA and Betty Jackson
of Byron; five grandchildren,
Charles H. Hutto Jr. (Tracy)
of San Diego, CA, Charles
Matthew Oliver (Ivy) of
Ideal, Shannon Hutto Bai
ley (Jeffrey) of Byron, Caleb
Posey of Fort Valley, Shane
Patrick Hitt of Cumming,
GA; six great grandchildren;
numerous loving nieces and
nephews; best friend and
produce partner Rowe Fred
erick of Cropwell, AL; and
dedicated caregiver Gabby
Campbell of Warner Robins.
Visitation was held on Fri
day, July 26, 2012.
In lieu of flowers, memorial
contributions may be made
to; First Baptist Church of
Fort Valley, 209 S Miller
Street, Ft. Valley, GA 31030.
McLeighton Funeral Ser
vice of Roberta was in charge
of arrangements.
McLeighton Funeral Service
viewobituarksatWww.mcleightonfuneralservice.com
375 S. Dugger Avenue
Roberta, Georgia
478-836-3336
David & Donna
McLeighton - owners
’Our Family Serving
Your Family’
PAGE 5-THURSDAY,
AUGUST 1,2013
Billy Powell
Columnist
www.billypowellbooks.com
Adam and Eve sinned. They
broke a direct commandment
of God not to eat of the for
bidden fruit. The penalty for
their sin was death. The death
penalty was passed down to
the entire human race, because
“all men (bom with Adam’s
nature) have sinned and fall
short of the glory of God.”
The Good News is “just as
sin reigned in death (through
Adam), so also (God’s) grace
will reign through righteous
ness to bring eternal life
through Jesus Christ our
Lord.”
In the
Face of
Adversity
Adversity is a word that
we never like to hear. It
means trouble is on the way.
Just as the hurricanes, tor
nadoes, economy, murders,
etc. These are adversity, no
one is exempt. Just as the
wind blows, sometimes the
winds of adversities are
even stronger. It blows in
every direction; sometimes
it’s your family, your job,
sickness, divorce or financ
es. It does not discriminate
between rich or poor,
weak or strong.
Adversity can cause a
multitude of problems
if we’re not rooted and
grounded in Christ. It can
cause fear, anxiety, and
anger resulting in differ
ent illnesses if not handled
properly. And if a person
lives long enough he or
she will face some type of
adversity. But no matter
how dark or stormy life
becomes, God is never out
of control. He allows ad
versity to touch our lives
so that we will turn to Him
and to make us aware of
His love.
Sudden disappointments
can cause you to doubt
the goodness of God. We
must maintain a strong
relationship with Him and
with other believers who
know how to encourage
and motivate us to keep
going. Everyone needs
this. So whatever you’re
facing today, you can be
sure that God will use it
some way to bring glory to
himself and to bless you.
Be Blessed!
— them. Go ye into all the toorleg
j be Unt ° „ c nel to every creature.
A ««<■<* ,ht s — «» r
Arv<* v ^
TVorship
Opportunities
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.
Lizella Baptist Church
Special Needs Ministry will
have a monthly event the 2 nd
Friday of every month, 7-9
p.m. They also have a Parent/
Family/Caregiver Support
Group for those who love
someone with special needs.
It is always the 1 st Tuesday of
the month, 6-8 p.m. They have
guest speakers and then a time
of sharing.
Lighthouse Community
Church Homecoming and
Revival - Location 4301 Jordan
Rd., Byron, Ga. Sunday August
4th- Flomecoming 10:30 A.M. -
Rev Joe Butterworth preaching
with special singing by One
Voice Sunday Evening
August 4th- 7:00 P.M. Rev
Rodney Flortman preaching
with special singing by Francis
Wilder; Monday August 5th-
Rev Gary Berrier preaching
with special singing by Zach
Ware; Tuesday August 6th-Rev
Monty February preaching
with special singing by Becky
Hattaway and the Pine Ridge
Boys; Wednesday August
7th- Rev Myron Parkerson
preaching with special singing
by Becky Hattaway and the
Pine Ridge Boys
The Zion Hill Baptist
Church invites everyone
to their regular services on
2nd Sundays at 11 a.m., 4th
Sundays at 10 a.m. and 5th
Sundays at 8 a.m. They have
Bible Study every Wednesday
at 7 p.m.
St. James Baptist Church will
hold Homecoming the second
Sunday in August, August
11th beginning at 11:30 a.m.
Revival will be held Monday
through Thursday, August 12-
15 at 7:30 p.m. Guest speaker
will be Rev. Dickey of Greater
Jordan Temple AME of Sparta,
Georgia.
Community Prayer Group
forming. Will meet Wednesdays
at 9:15 a.m., at 58 S. Dugger
Ave., Georgia Post office
to pray for needs in the
community. If interested in
joining or for more information
call 478-836-3195.
Mt. Zion C.M.E. Church will
be celebrating our annual
homecoming on Sunday,
August 4th at 11 a.m. Our
revival begins Wednesday,
August 7th thru Friday, August
9th at 7:30 p.m. nightly.
The guest ministers will be:
Wednesday - Rev. Samuel
Chester, Pastorof Cerease
Independent Church, Thursday
- Rev. Charles French, Pastor
of St. James Baptist Church,
Friday - Rev. Benjamin Tolbert,
Pastor of Little Roger C.M.E.
Church. Everyone is invited to
attend.
The Cerese Independent
Church will be having their
annual revival August 19-
22 (Monday - Thursday) at
7:30 p.m. nightly. Rev. Dexter
Jordan from the Stone Creek
Baptist Church will be the guest
speaker for the week.
Lighthouse Prayer Ministry
Worldwide Evangelist,
Buddy Williams of Thomaston,
Georgia will be the guest
speaker on Tuesday, August 6,
beginning at 10:00 a.m., for the
Word Aflame Prayer Ministry of
The Lighthouse Church, located
at 1556 Peach Parkway (Hwy
49), in Fort Valley.
Evangelist Williams has
served worldwide as a
missionary to Russia, Trinidad,
Haiti, India, Peru, Africa and
many other regions. He
currently ministers at the Sylvia
Hill Pentecostal Church in
Thomaston.
Everyone is invited to come
and enjoy a great time of
fellowship. Lunch will be
provided after the service
The Zion Hill Baptist
Church will have its annual
homecoming and revival
services on Sunday, August
11,2013,11:00 a.m. along with
their regular morning services.
Minister Colby McKenzie will
bring the message. Revival
services will begin Monday,
August 12 thru Wednesday,
August 14 at 7 p.m. nightly.
The Rev. B.R. Fultoin of the
Damascus Baptist Church will
be the revivalist. Everyone is
invited to come out and shar in
this joyous celebration. Pastor
Jeff Abner.
Deadline for Church
Happenings:
Friday 5 p.m.
Granite • Marble • Bronze • Coping • Monument Cleaning • Sandblasting
33 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
