By Emily Agee

Thought for today: “Give thanks to the Lord of hosts; for the Lord is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!” (Jeremiah 33:11)

“And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, son of man, set thy face toward the mountains of Israel, and prophesy against them, and say, ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord God; Thus saith the Lord God to the mountains and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys; behold, I even I will bring a sword upon you, and I will destroy your high places. And your altars shall be desolate, and your images shall be broken: And I will cast down your slain men before your idols. And I will lay the dead carcasses of the children of Israel before their idols, and I will scatter your bones round about your altars. In all your dwellings places the cities shall be laid waste, and the high places shall be desolate; that your altars may be laid waste and made desolate, and your idols may be broken and cease, and your images may be cut down, and your works may be abolished. And the slain shall fall in the midst of you, and ye shall know that I am the Lord. Yet will I leave a remnant, that ye may have some that shall escape the sword among the nations, when ye shall be scattered through the countries. And they that escape of you shall remember me among the nations whither they shall be carried captives, because I am broken with their whorish heart, which hath departed from me, and with their eyes, which go a whoring after their idols: And they shall loathe themselves for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations. And they shall know that I am the Lord, and that I have not said in vain that I would do this evil unto them.” (Ezekiel 6:1–10).

Thought for the week: ‘Have You Taken It to Jesus?’

“Have you taken it to Jesus?

Have you left your burden there?

Does he tenderly support you?

Have you welled on him your care?

O, the sweet unfailing refuge of the everlasting arms;

In their loving clasp enfolded

Nothing worries or alarms.

Have you taken it to Jesus?

Just the things that’s pressing now;

Are you trusting him completely,

With the when, and where and how?”

Announcements

Worship service at Holly Grove Baptist Church in Jemison included praise service led by the senior choir. The scripture was read by Charles Arrington with the prayer by Pastor Dukes and Robert Callens.

Songs sung were “Glory Hallelujah” and “Jesus Is a Rock.”

Pastor Dukes brought the morning message. His theme was “Good Yet Still Lost: You Can’t Serve Two Masters.” You will love one and despise the other. Don’t worry about what people think; trust God.

Christians struggle about giving God complete control over their life. Your attitude toward God affects your life dependence. Christians depend on God. God won’t be second; he is first.

Is there anything you have that’s more important than God? Is it wealth, your car or your stuff? Be convicted and yield and depend on God, run to him, kneel to him. Don’t be spiritually immature.

Question yourself: Are you better than the rich young ruler (spiritually better)? Do you long for stuff more than God?

Don’t get comfortable doing wrong. If your stuff is holding it back, turn it loose. What’s holding you back? What does it profit man to gain the world and lose his soul? Don’t walk away from salvation. Eternal life and joy – to gain stuff, accept him as your savior and Lord.

Benediction was by Pastor Dukes.

On our sick list this week, we ask you to remember in your prayers: James Singleterry, Labelle Kine, Sam and Vivian Hicks, Harold Frazier, Mildred Archie, Dorothy Sims, Martha Binion, Robertha Lee, Joe Varner, James Nixon, Larry Wilson, Lisa Wright and J.R. Booker.

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 week.