When I was growing up I was taught that God created the world in six days and on the seventh day He rested. Sometimes this thought would come to my little boy mind—maybe on the eighth day God woke up and was bored. So He decided to do some more creating. Therefore, on the eighth day God created American and Efird, Wiscassett, and all the other textile mills in Albemarle. As a six year old it seemed that those mills had been in existence since Creation. I would hear 16 year olds say, “I don’t need any more education. I am quitting school and joining my Dad, Granddad, and Great Granddad in the mill. [Moms and Grandmoms also worked there]. One of the jokesters in my high school class wrote this—“When you come into Albemarle from the West you pass the cotton mills. When you go out to the East you pass Fairview Cemetery. Cotton mill to cemetery pretty much describes life in Albemarle”.

We all believed those mills would still be in operation when Jesus came to Rapture His Church.  70 years later there is almost no textile work in Albemarle. Hard to imagine isn’t it? Some of those buildings have been torn down. Some have been repurposed, and some sit vacant. We blink our eyes. A few years pass. Life changes drastically. Textile mills close. Kmart ceases to exist. And, I never thought I would see the time when I would not receive the Sears Christmas catalog. OH, the hours I spent thumbing through that Sears “Wishbook”, dreaming of owning all those wonderful toys. Alas, those days are gone forever.

There is much uncertainty in life. Things we thought would always be with us no longer exist. Therefore, A wise, thinking person will take that fact to heart and will build his/her life upon things that are permanent. What are some of those permanent things?
   …”Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My [Jesus] word will not pass away.” Matthew 24:35
   …”For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life”. John 3:16
   …”Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever”. Hebrews 13:8

Scientific theories, medical treatments, social insights, and so many other parts of our lives are constantly changing. New discoveries make textbooks obsolete almost as soon as they come off the press. The three verses above are representative of many found in God’s Word. They remind us:
   …Jesus never changes. He loves us, then, now, and always
   …Salvation and eternal life in Heaven is only possible through a personal relationship with Jesus
   …What God says in the Bible, His Word, is true now and will always be true
100 years from now, when you are in eternity, will you have built your life upon Jesus, the One sure and solid foundation? Where you will be in 100 years [Heaven or Hell] will be determined by your answer to that question.

ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS

1. Sunday School is at 9:00 am
2. Morning Worship and Children’s Church is at 10:00 am. Also available in the parking lot at 10 on 99.1 FM and on the website after 12:30 pm
3. Thursday-APRIL 17-6:30 PM  Maundy Thursday service–No Wednesday Bible Study
4. $ 975–Latest total for Annie Armstrong Home Missions Offering–2 more Sundays to give your mission gift
5. April 27–Quarterly Church Conference
6. EASTER–6:40 AM  Sunrise Service
   7:00 AM Breakfast for everyone
   8:00 AM Easter Service–Celebrating the Resurrection

The cotton mills are gone, but Jesus is still on His Throne

Pastor Ed and Deacons of Barbee’s Grove Baptist Church