012 3 WH PG 10 Church
10
Wednesday, December 3, 2014 • the White Hall Journal • www.whitehalljournal.com
RELIGION
EVENT SUBMISSIONS Email to: [email protected] or by fax to: 870-247-4755 limited to: • 20 words or less per event and • Subject to content editing and space availability.
Questions? Contact Vicki Kelly at 870-247-4700 or [email protected]
Page Sponsors
Stop Running From God. By Stephen Harrison Senior Pastor, Family Church
Have you ever wondered why Jonah was so ready to offer his life to calm the storm for a few sailors (Jonah 1:5) when he was so angry that God saved the lives of more than 120,000 Ninevites (Jonah 4:11)? I think Jonah’s desire to offer up his life in the middle of the sea displayed his shame and guilt of trying to run from God (Jonah 1:3). He realized he was caught and considered life hopeless. What is even more ironic to me is his rational that suicide would fix everything but instead would immediately put him face to face with the Almighty. We tend to not think things through very well when in distress. One thing I’ve learned is you cannot run from God. He is the one who made the sea and the dry land (Jonah 1:9). Jeremiah recorded, “’Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him?’ declares the Lord. ‘Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the Lord.’” Proverbs 15:3 says, “the eyes of the Lord are in every place.” God is every-
where and running from Him is pointless. But did you know God runs after us? God pursued Jonah. I’m thankful He pursues me. Knowing the storm was proof God was in control and had found him despite his best efforts to run and hide, Jonah gave up. He was willing to face his shame and judgment from God. But God had a different plan of finishing what He started in Jonah. Jonah knew he was guilty of disobeying God and believed he deserved death. People tend to run from God thinking the worst of Him because they really don’t know Him. Jonah remembered the true nature of the God he served. He knew God was, “gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and repenting of evil” (Jonah 4:2). God’s mercy and rescue came in an unexpected form of a great fish! When God saves us it’s always miraculous! While it may not be what we had in mind, it sure beats the alternative. Think about the miracle of the great fish swallowing Jonah. Wouldn’t you have thought it would have killed him? Now
some would say, “That’s because it’s just a parable – it really didn’t happen.” I believe the account of Jonah isn’t a good parable but actual history. It really happened. Jesus even tells the story in Matthew 12:40 and said it was a miraculous sign of God’s grace and mercy. Just like Jesus’ miracles, this too was a miracle. Miracles are just that – hard to explain but greatly welcomed. Jonah was in the sea long enough to realize the great fish was God’s provision and salvation. It was the vehicle God was using to get him back on track. You know you’re truly thankful of being rescued when a fish swallows you. Spending three days and three nights in the great fish (Jonah 1:17) gives you time to think about running from God, disobedience, guilt, and shame. Sometimes God slows us down to get us back into a right perspective and relationship with Him. God let him go to the brink of death. Jonah said, “The waters closed in over me, the deep was round me and weeds were wrapped about my head at the roots of the moun-
tains. I went down to the land whose bars closed upon me forever” (Jonah 2:5). He was drowning tangled up in seaweed at the bottom of the sea. Do you ever feel like that? Do your circumstances trouble you to the point you can’t see a way of escape? Have you prayed? Jonah prayed God would deliver him, “Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the fish, saying, ‘I called to the Lord, out of my distress, and He answered me’” (Jonah 2:1-2). Despite our guilt and impossible circumstance, God answers us just in time. A great fish may not seem like mercy, but it sure beats a raging, unforgiving, bottomless sea. God’s way of salvation is always better than the world’s way of destruction. Jonah got himself into the mess doing it his way and God got him out of it doing it His way. Cry out to God in your distress. Remember Psalm 118:5, “In my distress I prayed to the Lord, and the Lord answered me and set me free”. Stop running from the Lord, obey His call, and trust His plan.
LC LCS of AR, Inc. S
Lord Construction Services
General Construction Metal Building Sales Industrial Maintenance
247-2341
All Certifications MBMA AISC
5210 Industrial Drive South
“Dedicated to Your Health, Happiness, and Well-Being”
White Hall
Nursing & Rehab Center
9209 Dollarway Rd. White Hall, AR 71602 870-247-0800 Fax 870-247-0802
WElCH Nissan
EVENT NOTICES:
New & Previously Owned Cars & Trucks
• WH United Methodist Church | 300 Church Drive • Day by Day Support Group for Parents Who’ve Suffered the Death of a Child. Meets 1st Thursday of Every Month • Begins at 6:30 p.m. in the Parlor. All Meetings Are Private.
CoRNeRSToNe APoSTolIC CHuRCH 9500 Dollarway Road
ASSEMBLY OF GOD FIRST ASSeMBlY oF GoD 801 W. Hoadley Rd.
PINe GRove BAPTIST 110 S. Bryant St. SHIloH BAPTIST 13701 Hwy. 270 uNITeD BAPTIST CHuRCH 411 S. Oleander St.
BAPTIST CHURCH OF CHRIST Calvary Baptist Church 1214 Robin Rd CANAAN BAPTIST 5510 W. Malcomb St. CeNTRAl BAPTIST 6107 Dollarway Rd. ClAuD RoAD BAPTIST CHuRCH 1821 Claud Rd. FIRST BAPTIST WHITe HAll 8708 Dollarway Rd. FIRST BAPTIST DeWDRoP 1707 N. Bryant St. HAPPY HoMe BAPTIST 4312 Hwy. 365 South Jefferson HARDIN BAPTIST 300 Todd Lynn Dr. KeARNeY BAPTIST 1900 S. Hwy. 365 Redfield MARANATHA BAPTIST 5820 W. Holsey Ave. MT. olIve BAPTIST 8523 Princeton Pike NoRTHSIDe BAPTIST 7743 Sheridan Rd. oAK GRove
CHuRCH oF CHRIST 102 Sheridan Rd. Redfield
METHODIST ReDFIelD uNITeD Redfield ST. luKe AMe 9908 Princeton Pike ST. luKe uNITeD 32 School Street (behind Dollarway School) ST. luKe AMe Redfield WHITe HAll uNITeD 300 Church Dr. White Hall, AR 71602
WHITe HAll CHuRCH oF CHRIST 304 White Hall Ave.
MISSIONARY BAPTIST
CHURCH OF GOD
BeTHANY 7122 Sheridan Rd.
BARNeS TeMPle CHuRCH oF GoD Princeton Pike Loop
leMoNWooD 920 Shephard Dr.
eTeRNAl lIFe CHuRCH oF GoD 503 S. Pryce St. FIRST PeNTeCoSTAl CHuRCH oF GoD 5400 Windham St. NeW HARveST CHuRCH oF GoD 9016 Hwy. 270 PeNTeCoSTAl CHuRCH oF GoD 1012 Jo Ann Dr. Redfield RIveR RoAD RIveR oF lIFe CHuRCH oF GoD 1209 River Rd. Redfield
JEHOVAH’S WITNESS JeHovAH’S WITNeSSeS 5601 Cheatham St.
MouNT PleASANT 3211 Barlett Rd. Redfield NeW BeTHel 2522 N. Pryce St. oAKlAND HeIGHTS 9620 Sheridan Rd. oRIoN 3826 Stagecoach Rd. Redfield PINeCReST 5910 Carbon St. ReDFIelD 500 Davis St. Redfield
SOUTHERN BAPTIST FAMIlY CHuRCH 2500 Highway 104
OTHER CeNTeNNIAl FelloWSHIP 1400 Centennial Ln.
2505 Olive St., Pine Bluff www.welchnissan.com
Outdoors and more
THE COUNTRY KITCHEN 4322 Dollarway Road • 535-4767 •BREAKFAST • PLATE LUNCH & DINNER
Pine Bluff Heating & Air Conditioning Co.
It’s Hard To Stop A Trane 536-3998 800-235-1342
605 E. 6th Pine Bluff
CHuRCH oF THe lIvING GoD 3120 Gravel Pit Rd. HARDIN NeW lIFe APoSTolIC CHuRCH 10608 Hwy. 270 RIveR RoAD CHuRCH Route 1, River Rd. Redfield TRuTH TeMPle HolINeSS 9711 Dollarway Rd.
Pine Bluff Cotton Belt Federal Credit Union 535-6305 888-249-1904
1703 River Pines Blvd., Pine Bluff
PENTECOSTAL ReDFIelD uNITeD PeNTeCoSTAl 515 Sheridan Road Redfield WHITe HAll uNITeD PeNTeCoSTAl 7745 Sheridan Rd. WHISPeRING PINeS CoWBoY CHuRCH Meeting at Hestand Stadium 420 Blake Street, Pine Bluff uNITeD CHRISTIAN 907 Dawson Rd.
SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST
MISSIONARY NON-DENOMINATIONAL WoRD oF TRuTH MINISTRIeS Discipleship Training 1200 Dogwood Redfield
534-1551 1-800-WElCH99
102 Clark Road White Hall 247-0707
Area Church Directory APOSTOLIC
200 W6th Pine Bluff 535-0935
Moore
• Family Church | 2500 Hwy 104 • Hometown Christmas Extravaganza • December 6th from 9am - 4pm If you are a vender interested in a booth, call Sandy Porter @ (501) 350-5913
BAPTIST 13112 Dollarway Rd.
First United Methodist
NoRTHSIDe 5603 W. Holsey St.
I-530 Exit 39, North 1 Mile • Pine Bluff • 1-888-879-8940
Harold Pointer Car & Truck Accessories
Wheels, Tires and Custom Accessories For Your Car or Truck
Visit Our Showroom Home of the Camo Caddy
on Hwy. 79 at I-530 879-3766
Kellie Harris Neighborhood Exclusive Agent Weldon & Carolyn Wynne Sales Associates
Allstate Insurance Company 2007 W. 28th, Suite 3, Pine Bluff, AR (870) 534-4055 • Fax (870) 534-4062
SPLASH CAR WASH 2 Automatic Car Washes 7003 SHERIDAN RD.
Passion For GOD
Commercial Printing Promotional Products Screen Printing Embroidery
Column above courtesy of: Stephen Harrison Senior Pastor Family Church 2500 Hwy 104 870.247.3300 www.familychurch.ws
534-7202 888-530-7202 3004 Midland Dr. So
247-3300 2500 Hwy. 104 www.familychurch.ws
Compassion For People
let Us take Care of ALL Your Printing Needs!
247-4700 7400 Dollarway Rd. Suite E www.whitehalljournal.com
Wednesday, December 3, 2014 • the White Hall Journal • www.whitehalljournal.com
RELIGION
EVENT SUBMISSIONS Email to: [email protected] or by fax to: 870-247-4755 limited to: • 20 words or less per event and • Subject to content editing and space availability.
Questions? Contact Vicki Kelly at 870-247-4700 or [email protected]
Page Sponsors
Stop Running From God. By Stephen Harrison Senior Pastor, Family Church
Have you ever wondered why Jonah was so ready to offer his life to calm the storm for a few sailors (Jonah 1:5) when he was so angry that God saved the lives of more than 120,000 Ninevites (Jonah 4:11)? I think Jonah’s desire to offer up his life in the middle of the sea displayed his shame and guilt of trying to run from God (Jonah 1:3). He realized he was caught and considered life hopeless. What is even more ironic to me is his rational that suicide would fix everything but instead would immediately put him face to face with the Almighty. We tend to not think things through very well when in distress. One thing I’ve learned is you cannot run from God. He is the one who made the sea and the dry land (Jonah 1:9). Jeremiah recorded, “’Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him?’ declares the Lord. ‘Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the Lord.’” Proverbs 15:3 says, “the eyes of the Lord are in every place.” God is every-
where and running from Him is pointless. But did you know God runs after us? God pursued Jonah. I’m thankful He pursues me. Knowing the storm was proof God was in control and had found him despite his best efforts to run and hide, Jonah gave up. He was willing to face his shame and judgment from God. But God had a different plan of finishing what He started in Jonah. Jonah knew he was guilty of disobeying God and believed he deserved death. People tend to run from God thinking the worst of Him because they really don’t know Him. Jonah remembered the true nature of the God he served. He knew God was, “gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and repenting of evil” (Jonah 4:2). God’s mercy and rescue came in an unexpected form of a great fish! When God saves us it’s always miraculous! While it may not be what we had in mind, it sure beats the alternative. Think about the miracle of the great fish swallowing Jonah. Wouldn’t you have thought it would have killed him? Now
some would say, “That’s because it’s just a parable – it really didn’t happen.” I believe the account of Jonah isn’t a good parable but actual history. It really happened. Jesus even tells the story in Matthew 12:40 and said it was a miraculous sign of God’s grace and mercy. Just like Jesus’ miracles, this too was a miracle. Miracles are just that – hard to explain but greatly welcomed. Jonah was in the sea long enough to realize the great fish was God’s provision and salvation. It was the vehicle God was using to get him back on track. You know you’re truly thankful of being rescued when a fish swallows you. Spending three days and three nights in the great fish (Jonah 1:17) gives you time to think about running from God, disobedience, guilt, and shame. Sometimes God slows us down to get us back into a right perspective and relationship with Him. God let him go to the brink of death. Jonah said, “The waters closed in over me, the deep was round me and weeds were wrapped about my head at the roots of the moun-
tains. I went down to the land whose bars closed upon me forever” (Jonah 2:5). He was drowning tangled up in seaweed at the bottom of the sea. Do you ever feel like that? Do your circumstances trouble you to the point you can’t see a way of escape? Have you prayed? Jonah prayed God would deliver him, “Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the fish, saying, ‘I called to the Lord, out of my distress, and He answered me’” (Jonah 2:1-2). Despite our guilt and impossible circumstance, God answers us just in time. A great fish may not seem like mercy, but it sure beats a raging, unforgiving, bottomless sea. God’s way of salvation is always better than the world’s way of destruction. Jonah got himself into the mess doing it his way and God got him out of it doing it His way. Cry out to God in your distress. Remember Psalm 118:5, “In my distress I prayed to the Lord, and the Lord answered me and set me free”. Stop running from the Lord, obey His call, and trust His plan.
LC LCS of AR, Inc. S
Lord Construction Services
General Construction Metal Building Sales Industrial Maintenance
247-2341
All Certifications MBMA AISC
5210 Industrial Drive South
“Dedicated to Your Health, Happiness, and Well-Being”
White Hall
Nursing & Rehab Center
9209 Dollarway Rd. White Hall, AR 71602 870-247-0800 Fax 870-247-0802
WElCH Nissan
EVENT NOTICES:
New & Previously Owned Cars & Trucks
• WH United Methodist Church | 300 Church Drive • Day by Day Support Group for Parents Who’ve Suffered the Death of a Child. Meets 1st Thursday of Every Month • Begins at 6:30 p.m. in the Parlor. All Meetings Are Private.
CoRNeRSToNe APoSTolIC CHuRCH 9500 Dollarway Road
ASSEMBLY OF GOD FIRST ASSeMBlY oF GoD 801 W. Hoadley Rd.
PINe GRove BAPTIST 110 S. Bryant St. SHIloH BAPTIST 13701 Hwy. 270 uNITeD BAPTIST CHuRCH 411 S. Oleander St.
BAPTIST CHURCH OF CHRIST Calvary Baptist Church 1214 Robin Rd CANAAN BAPTIST 5510 W. Malcomb St. CeNTRAl BAPTIST 6107 Dollarway Rd. ClAuD RoAD BAPTIST CHuRCH 1821 Claud Rd. FIRST BAPTIST WHITe HAll 8708 Dollarway Rd. FIRST BAPTIST DeWDRoP 1707 N. Bryant St. HAPPY HoMe BAPTIST 4312 Hwy. 365 South Jefferson HARDIN BAPTIST 300 Todd Lynn Dr. KeARNeY BAPTIST 1900 S. Hwy. 365 Redfield MARANATHA BAPTIST 5820 W. Holsey Ave. MT. olIve BAPTIST 8523 Princeton Pike NoRTHSIDe BAPTIST 7743 Sheridan Rd. oAK GRove
CHuRCH oF CHRIST 102 Sheridan Rd. Redfield
METHODIST ReDFIelD uNITeD Redfield ST. luKe AMe 9908 Princeton Pike ST. luKe uNITeD 32 School Street (behind Dollarway School) ST. luKe AMe Redfield WHITe HAll uNITeD 300 Church Dr. White Hall, AR 71602
WHITe HAll CHuRCH oF CHRIST 304 White Hall Ave.
MISSIONARY BAPTIST
CHURCH OF GOD
BeTHANY 7122 Sheridan Rd.
BARNeS TeMPle CHuRCH oF GoD Princeton Pike Loop
leMoNWooD 920 Shephard Dr.
eTeRNAl lIFe CHuRCH oF GoD 503 S. Pryce St. FIRST PeNTeCoSTAl CHuRCH oF GoD 5400 Windham St. NeW HARveST CHuRCH oF GoD 9016 Hwy. 270 PeNTeCoSTAl CHuRCH oF GoD 1012 Jo Ann Dr. Redfield RIveR RoAD RIveR oF lIFe CHuRCH oF GoD 1209 River Rd. Redfield
JEHOVAH’S WITNESS JeHovAH’S WITNeSSeS 5601 Cheatham St.
MouNT PleASANT 3211 Barlett Rd. Redfield NeW BeTHel 2522 N. Pryce St. oAKlAND HeIGHTS 9620 Sheridan Rd. oRIoN 3826 Stagecoach Rd. Redfield PINeCReST 5910 Carbon St. ReDFIelD 500 Davis St. Redfield
SOUTHERN BAPTIST FAMIlY CHuRCH 2500 Highway 104
OTHER CeNTeNNIAl FelloWSHIP 1400 Centennial Ln.
2505 Olive St., Pine Bluff www.welchnissan.com
Outdoors and more
THE COUNTRY KITCHEN 4322 Dollarway Road • 535-4767 •BREAKFAST • PLATE LUNCH & DINNER
Pine Bluff Heating & Air Conditioning Co.
It’s Hard To Stop A Trane 536-3998 800-235-1342
605 E. 6th Pine Bluff
CHuRCH oF THe lIvING GoD 3120 Gravel Pit Rd. HARDIN NeW lIFe APoSTolIC CHuRCH 10608 Hwy. 270 RIveR RoAD CHuRCH Route 1, River Rd. Redfield TRuTH TeMPle HolINeSS 9711 Dollarway Rd.
Pine Bluff Cotton Belt Federal Credit Union 535-6305 888-249-1904
1703 River Pines Blvd., Pine Bluff
PENTECOSTAL ReDFIelD uNITeD PeNTeCoSTAl 515 Sheridan Road Redfield WHITe HAll uNITeD PeNTeCoSTAl 7745 Sheridan Rd. WHISPeRING PINeS CoWBoY CHuRCH Meeting at Hestand Stadium 420 Blake Street, Pine Bluff uNITeD CHRISTIAN 907 Dawson Rd.
SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST
MISSIONARY NON-DENOMINATIONAL WoRD oF TRuTH MINISTRIeS Discipleship Training 1200 Dogwood Redfield
534-1551 1-800-WElCH99
102 Clark Road White Hall 247-0707
Area Church Directory APOSTOLIC
200 W6th Pine Bluff 535-0935
Moore
• Family Church | 2500 Hwy 104 • Hometown Christmas Extravaganza • December 6th from 9am - 4pm If you are a vender interested in a booth, call Sandy Porter @ (501) 350-5913
BAPTIST 13112 Dollarway Rd.
First United Methodist
NoRTHSIDe 5603 W. Holsey St.
I-530 Exit 39, North 1 Mile • Pine Bluff • 1-888-879-8940
Harold Pointer Car & Truck Accessories
Wheels, Tires and Custom Accessories For Your Car or Truck
Visit Our Showroom Home of the Camo Caddy
on Hwy. 79 at I-530 879-3766
Kellie Harris Neighborhood Exclusive Agent Weldon & Carolyn Wynne Sales Associates
Allstate Insurance Company 2007 W. 28th, Suite 3, Pine Bluff, AR (870) 534-4055 • Fax (870) 534-4062
SPLASH CAR WASH 2 Automatic Car Washes 7003 SHERIDAN RD.
Passion For GOD
Commercial Printing Promotional Products Screen Printing Embroidery
Column above courtesy of: Stephen Harrison Senior Pastor Family Church 2500 Hwy 104 870.247.3300 www.familychurch.ws
534-7202 888-530-7202 3004 Midland Dr. So
247-3300 2500 Hwy. 104 www.familychurch.ws
Compassion For People
let Us take Care of ALL Your Printing Needs!
247-4700 7400 Dollarway Rd. Suite E www.whitehalljournal.com
