By Emily Agee

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed: for I am with thee am thy God; I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded; they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish. Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of naught. For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, fear not; I will help thee. Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee saith the Lord, and they redeemer, the Holy one of Israel. Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth: thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff. Thou shalt fan them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scatter them: and thou shalt rejoice in the Lord, and shalt glory in the Holy one of Israel.. When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them. I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah tree, and the myrtle and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the fir tree, and the pin and the box tree together: that they may see and know, and consider and understand together, that the hand of the Lord hath done this, and the Holy one of Israel hath created it.” (Isaiah 41:10-20)

Thought for the week: ‘The Road of Life’

“One day as I was climbing up the road of life to home, I met a stranger coming down with countenance sad and lone.

I had no time to help him then, I learned ‘twould mean delay.’

With guilty hearts I turned aside, I dared not look his way.

To still my heart I hurried on, and then I heard a sigh, I turned and looked and then I saw, a teardrop in his eye.

Forgetting time I spoke to him, to share with him my cup, ‘Dear friend, I fear you’re going down when you should be going up.’

With piteous look he turned to me, ‘how can I turn around?’

For with this load upon my back I can hardly make it down.’

The joyful news I gladly told of Christ who died for him to take away the load he had if he would let Him in.

A gleam of hope came to his face, the tears began to flow, the load of sin dropped from his back, His face began to glow.

An now he travels the road of life, not down, but going up; To see the glow upon his face has more than filled my cup.

O Lord, forgive the times I’ve passed a stranger on life’s road,

Not taking time to dry the tears, nor helping lift the load. And give me wisdom, Lord I pray, that comes down from thy throne. That I might by thy help and grace lead some poor wanderer home.”

Announcements

Worship service at Holly Grove Baptist Church in Jemison began with praise services by the praise team with their theme base on Exodus 12:14 “remember and celebrate.”

This day shall be unto you for a memorial and ye shall keep it a feast to the Lord throughout your generation ye shall keep it a feast by ordinance forever. The scripture was read by Charles Arrington with prayer by Pastor Dukes and Robert Callen.

Songs sung: “This Little Light of Mine,” “Glory Hallelujah” and “Amazing Grace.”

The morning message was given by Pastor Kenneth Dukes with his theme “Have you ever been challenged for your Christian walk?” “Can you stand up to it?” Daniel 3:13-18.

Committed Christians, have you ever had to face a challenge; did you stay what you professed to be? People honor wrong more than right. Never go against your spiritual belief. The Hebrew boys did not go against their spiritual beliefs. You have a responsibility to be what God wants you to be. You are not ashamed, you have integrity. It’s difficult to be a Christian if you are straddling the fence. Realize God is able, stand up. God is able to carry you through. Are you a Christian anywhere you go. Always bring honor to his name, don’t ever be ashamed of Jesus. If so he will be ashamed of you. This must be done to maintain your commitment you don’t have to explain your belief. The Hebrew boys did not, stick with your belief, don’t argue your belief. Truth doesn’t need support. Stand when nothing else is left to do. Don’t be intimidated; it comes on a lot of ways. Fear can blind you and cloud your mind. God is able to deliver you out of your fiery furnace. Know what God can do for you in your situation, always know God is able. Benediction was by Pastor Dukes.

On our sick list this week we ask you to remember in your prayers: Sam and Vivian Hicks, Harold Frazier, Mildred Archie, Dora Archie, Dorothy Sims, Tom Tinsley, James Singleterry, Lisa Wright, Versa Davis, Georgia Swindle, Ruby Dukes and Lee Anna Worthy.

May God heal, strengthen and keep them in His care is our prayer.

—Emily Agee is a religion columnist for The Clanton Advertiser. Her column appears each Thursday.