Newspaper Page Text
July 6, 2016
^Reporter
PAGE 5C
Pastor’s Corner
Pray nonstop, be willing to push, then prevail
BY REV. SHIRLEY
WATKINS
any times
preach
ers are
pushed to
the limit,
and sometimes they
don’t have
time to seek
God for the
message that
is needed
for that
particular
service. The
other day I
was pray
ing for what
was needed
for that one
service. I wanted it to be
fresh from Heaven, not a
warmed-over Word that
I could just grab and go
with.
The Spirit of the Lord
began to speak to me
about this message.
Three words came to
me: Pray, Push and
Prevail. I begin to study
some scriptures on this
and realized that this
is the formula for get
ting things done in the
Spirit.
In II Thessalonians
5:17 the Bible says,
“Pray without ceasing”.
Many people wonder
how you can pray with
out ceasing.
The secret is to
just keep your
mind on God all
day.
You may have
a job or a task
to do, but as
you do these
things just
keep talking
to the Lord at
the same time.
Make sure that if some
thing takes all of your
attention for a time that
as soon as that task is
done, you bring your
mind right back to talk
ing to the Father.
Isaiah 26:3 says, “Thou
wilt keep him in perfect
peace, whose mind is
stayed on thee; because
he trusteth in thee.”
Praying and keeping our
mind on God will bring
us peace and victory in
our life.
Then in Luke 18:1-7
I read how the little
widow kept coming
before the king to get
what she wanted. She
didn’t give up, she kept
pushing and finally she
prevailed and her wants
were granted.
At times we pray and
don’t seem to get an
answer, so we give up.
But when the praying
doesn’t seem to get us
the answer, it is time
to push. That little
widow woman kept com
ing before that king.
She was not concerned
whether it upset him or
not. She knew he didn’t
want to see her, but she
kept coming and finally
got what she wanted.
God is different than
the king. God wants to
see us come before Him
and hear us ask for help.
He gave us the scripture
that tells us to ask, seek
and knock.
In other words, don’t
give up. If asking doesn’t
work, start seeking or
pushing. If that doesn’t
work, start knocking or
pushing a little harder.
To push is hard work.
It takes getting down
to business with God. It
takes some soul search
ing to make sure noth
ing is wrong in us and
then we keep giving God
back His Word. God,
you said if I would ask I
would receive. God, you
told me to knock, and
I am knocking. That is
the way you push and
get God’s attention.
Then I realized if we
will pray without ceas
ing and keep pushing,
then we will also pre
vail. We will see our
need or want met by
God.
To prevail is to over
come. God said we are
overcomers because He
overcame. Sometimes we
think that all we have to
do is say a little prayer
and God should move for
us, because of who we
are.
It doesn’t matter who
we are, look at Daniel,
Joseph, and the three
Hebrew boys. They were
definitely close to God,
but it took some push
ing for them to prevail.
Yet, they came forth vic
toriously with all those
around them seeing that
God has blessed them.
We want to get to the
place that prevailing is
what we do. I don’t want
to pray and say, well
God’s just not going to
move. I want to pray,
push and then prevail.
I want to see God bring
me through the trial or
the problem that I am
facing. Don’t you?
Don’t let Satan defeat
you. You are a child of
the living God. Satan
has no power over you.
He may push you and
try to make you think
you are defeated. He
tries to discourage us
and keep us from pray
ing and pushing. But
just don’t give up. Keep
praying, pushing and
then you will prevail.
May God richly bless
you this week and
may your prayers be
answered. Love God,
respect Him, pray and
push. Victory is yours.
Sometimes we think
praying and certainly
pushing is too much
work. But if we want the
victory, we will get down
to business and work
for it.
May God bless you
today.
Rev. Shirley Watkins is
the pastor of Lighthouse
of Prayer Church, 2287
Hwy. 41 South, Forsyth.
The Pastor’s Corner is
sponsored by the Monroe
County Ministerial
Association, which meets
on the second Thursday
of each month at Ann’s
Deli at 8 a.m.
Shirley Watkins
Family
thanks
Monroe County Family
Connection presented
a plaque to Gwen Byrd
on June 29 to express
appreciation for her
leadership and dedica
tion as president of the
collaborative for the last
two years. The purpose
of Family Connection is
to bring together orga
nizations and individu
als in the community
to develop, implement
and evaluate plans
that address the chal
lenges facing Monroe
County’s children and
families. Its members
help one another and
others become aware of
County and Bibb County
Family Connection.
Pictured, left to right,
are Dr. Mike Hickman,
Monroe County School
superintendent; Sandy
Colwell, director of
assessment, CTAE,
federal programs; Lee;
Blackwell; Byrd; Angie
Dillon, retiring assis
tant superintendent;
Alicia Elder, assistant
superintendent; Tracy
Willis, Monroe County
Health Department
nurse manager; Dr.
Marcy Hunt-Harris,
director of student
services. (Photo/Diane
Glidewell)
Connection
Gwen Byrd
resources and needs and Monroe
gaps between the two.
Byrd is the social
worker for Monroe
County Schools and
is particularly known
for her work with the
Backpack Buddies pro
gram and other efforts
to make sure all Monroe
County children have
access to necessities
during times when they
are in school and times
when they are not. She
is also known for the
many miles she travels
around Monroe County
to visit children and
families in their homes.
New officers for
County
Family
Connection
effective
July 1 are
Lisa Lee,
president;
Debbie
Harbin, vice
president;
Brandi Pye,
secretary-
treasurer;
Tracy
Willis, leader for the
teen maze team; Gwen
Byrd, immediate past
president. Travis
Blackwell is executive
director for Monroe
A member of The Club simulates what it feels like to be
in Space at the Museum of Arts & Sciences.
The Club visits
Macon museum
BY MARTIE BROWN
Monroe County Special Needs Club, Inc. visited
the Museum of Arts and Sciences in Macon on June
30 and learned important facts about the human
eye. One of the important facts learned was how
diabetes can lead to blindness. That really hit home
with a couple of Club members!
Sometimes it takes seeing something to under
stand it. We always talk about health and making
the right choices when it comes to food and drink,
and Club members have gotten better at making
wiser choices, especially when reminded.
At the Museum of Arts and Sciences the Club
also saw the animal show and learned not to fear
an animal or reptile until you learn about it. Some
of the Club members learned what it feels like to be
in space as well.
Keeping their minds learning is a healthy thing
for them and anybody. That is one of the reasons for
the Club and why it is so important that we have
this program for our special needs young adults
after high school.
Local support is needed and appreciated and trust
me, the Club is making a difference in their lives.
Donations and volunteer help is necessary. Monroe
County Special Needs Club, Inc., 44 East Johnston
St., Forsyth, Ga. 31029.
Remember When
This look at what Monroe County residents were reading in the
Reporter 30,20 and 10 years ago this week is brought to you by...
Monroe County
Memorial Chapel
We set the standards
that others follow 1
Harley Ray "Spanky" Beck
86 West Main Street • Forsyth
478-994-4266
1986 1996 2006
As of May, Monroe County’s
unemployment rate is back
down to 6.1 percent after April’s
10.1 percent.
Four metal halide spotlights
are installed around Forsyth’s
courthouse to illuminate it at
night.
Forsyth City Council approves
a housing construction project
after annexing land along Hwy
42 North.
Culloden residents get muddy
water after the town switches
from its new well to the old one.
The Monroe County School
Board examines its employee
tardiness and absentee incen
tives program.
The Georgia Public Service
Commission calls for a cost
study on the integration of
Monroe County into the Macon
calling area.
A Mercer University ad claims
that “You can save enough
money by attending...to make
the down payment on a car”.
Nearly 10,000 Monroe
Countians are registered to vote
which is believed to be the coun
ty’s highest rate ever.
The U.S. Men’s Olympic
Rowing Team will visit Forsyth
next Monday for a stay in
Georgia heat before moving to
the Olympic village.
Brian Anderson and Jared
Thornton of the Macon Church
of Latter Day Saints are touring
the county in hopes of planting
a new Mormon church.
The Forsyth Woman’s Club
nearly doubles its numbers in a
May membership drive.
Bennett Oil Company of
Macon opens a Texaco Station
on North Lee Street in Forsyth.
Hubbard Elementary fifth-
grader Melissa Dunn wins
an essay contest—“What the
Olympics Mean to Me”—spon
sored by Forsyth Inns.
Culloden council discusses
needs at the city museum,
including the director’s job
description and mannequins.
The Hubbard Alumni
Association petitions the Monroe
County Board of Education
for ownership of the Hubbard
Women’s Dormitory building.
Mary Persons Senior Amanda
Waldrop is honored by Georgia
Secretary of State Cathy Cox for
Excellence in Citizenship.
Forsyth is one of 74 Georgia
cities recognized by the
Department of Community
Affairs for downtown develop
ment programs.
Ray and Laurel Hughes of
Sparrow Development hold a
ribbon cutting to celebrate the
opening of the Chriswood Phase
3 subdivision.
Monroe County Board of
Education incumbent Garrett
Gordon will be opposed by Eva
Bilderback. All other candidates
will run unopposed.
The Forsyth Police
Department buckles down on
seat belt enforcement.