The South Gibson Star-Times serves the towns of Haubstadt, Owensville and Fort Branch.
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CHURCH And there was evening, and there was morning..." If we were reading those words in Genesis, we would quite properly expect that the next phrase would be "one day." However, between the particular evening and the particular morning that we are considering today, there lay, not a single day, but rather, twen- ty years. Jacob had left Beer-sheba under rather a cloud. Esau had taken poor- ly to his enforcing the terms of the sale-contract on the birthright, and had been going around the camp muttering threats along the lines of, "When Daddy isn't around any lon- ger to play The Enforcer, I'm going to kill that--brother of mine." These threats had come to the ears of Rebecca, and she determined to get her favored son out of harm's way. Interestingly enough, she said nothing to the boys' father regarding Esau's threats, but remarked only that the Hittite women who Esau had married and brought into their tents were far from her liking. Therefore, Jacob should be sent back to Paddan-aram, to her family, to secure a proper bride. It had come evening, and the sun had set, when Jacob, on his way to Haran, arrived at Bethel. A stone was his pillow that night, and there God appeared to him in a dream, reiterating the promise origi- nally given to Abraham, the promise of Property: "the land on which you lie; Progeny: "descendants like the dust of the earth;" and Purpose: "by you and your descendants shall all the families of the earth bless them- selves." Between that evening of Jacob's departure and the morning that would see his return home, would lie many years spent in Paddan-aram with his uncle/father-in-law, Laban. During their final encounter, Jacob reproachfully described those years spent with the devious swindler La- ban in this way: "These twenty years I have been in your house, I ser ved you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock and you have changed my wag- es ten times. If the God of my father... had not been on my side, surely now you would have sent me away emp- ty-handed." Small wonder that Jacob had packed up family, sheep, goats and cattle, along with camels and don- keys and headed toward Canaan. Laban had pursued; Laban had caught up to th fleeing Jacob; but La- ban had been repulsed. Still ... there remained Esau in the offing, apparently still disgruntled about what had happened twenty years ago. Why else would he be headed in Jacob's direction, accom- panied by 400 men? Jacob sent the people and the an- imals across the ford of the stream Jabbok, and that night, he was left alone. A man came and wrestled with him. Neither adversar y had prevailed when day began to break. The man touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh, putting it out of joint, but still did not succeed in breaking Jacob's hold on him. He asked to be let go. Jacob re- sponded that he would do so only if the man would give him a blessing. So the man blessed him. The sun rose upon Jacob as he passed Penuel; however, he was limping as he went. Then, the text tells us, "Therefore, to this day the Israelites do not eat the sinew of the hip which is upon the hollow of the thigh" ..Esau turned out not to be too much of a problem, after all. That "gift" from Jacob of two hundred she-goats and twenty he-goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, thir- ty milch camels and their colts, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty she-ass- es and ten he-asses, seems to have soothed his feelings and smoothed his brow quite effectively. But what about that uneaten sin- ew? What, do you suppose, did it mean for the daily conduct of their lives, if each time an Israelite omitted to eat that particular sinew, whether the meat on their plate was beef or veal, mutton or lamb, goat or kid, they were thereby reminded of their ancestor Jacob, and the example set by his life? How might it influence a person's behavior if, ever y time that they ate a cherr y, be it fresh or baked into a pie, or covered in chocolate, they were reminded of their Aunt Sally, People don't realize what they have until it is gone People don't realize what they have. I am writing this column on July 4th, our national holiday celebrating our independence from Great Brit- ain. Scanning the various news sites on this July 4th, I found few positive articles celebrating Independence Day. Democrats promote '(obscene word used here) the 4th' event as Americans celebrate holiday. Cornell University removes Get- tysburg Address, Lincoln bust from librar y after alleged complaint. Leftists renounce Independence Day on Twitter: 'Burn countr y to (obscene word used here) ground.' Wisconsin Democrat Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes says founding of America 'awful.' One America is thriving; the other is stagnating. How long can this go on? The Supreme Court's reign of ter- ror is unsustainable. Congress can do something about it. The most poignant headline I found is: 'DOWN THE DRAIN': World War II hero breaks down in tears, discussing what America has become. U.S. Marine veteran Carl Spurlin Dekel celebrated his 100th birthday last week. A WWII veteran and sil- ver star holder, while holding back tears, said "The things we did and the things we fought for and the boys that died for it, it's all gone down the drain." He further states, "We hav- en't got the countr y we had when I was raised, not at all." He says "No- body will have the fun I had. Nobody will have the opportunity I had. It's just not the same and that's not what our boys, that's not what they died for." His most pointed obser vation is "People don't realize what they have." Amen! What do we have in America? What are you thankful for? I could go into a diatribe about ever ything that's wrong with America. But then again, is there a utopian countr y in the world we could move to? Why do millions of citizens south of our border risk their lives to enter Amer- ica, most illegally? America's torch of freedom may be faint, yet people from all over the world still want to come here. I suggest US citizens who hate America move to North Korea and live in the Hermit countr y. There they can experience a worker's para- dise. Leader for life, Kim Jong Un tol- erates little foreign influence. North Korea keeps you safe from ever y- thing bad. It is a capital offense to distribute South Korean media, including mu- sic and movies. Sources report that North Korea was to execute a man by firing squad for smuggling and selling Netflix's hit show "Squid Game." They executed seven people for smuggling or possessing K-Pop videos. The state regulates ever ything in North Korea, including 28 approved hair styles. No self-expression per- mitted here. Ever yone looks the same. Many left-wing haters of America, when asked what government they South Gibson Church Services BUCKSKIN ST. JOHN'S CHURCH OF BUCKSKIN 8260 E. 900 S., Buckskin Sunday school 9 a.m.; Worship ser vice 10:15 a.m. CYNTHIANA FIRST UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST Corner of North and Walnut Sunday worship ser vice 9 a.m. FAIR HAVEN CHRIST FELLOWSHIP Church Street, Cynthiana Mike Douglas, Pastor Phone: 812-724-4735 Sunday morning worship 10 a.m.; Wednesday evening 7 p.m. FORT BRANCH BETHLEHEM GENER AL BAPTIST CHURCH 3208 W 525 S, Fort Branch (CR 325 W off of Hwy. 168) Steve Wilson, Pastor Bible study 9 a.m. Sunday worship 10 a.m. FIRST CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE 601 S. Lincoln, Fort Branch Pastor Br yan Holzappel Sunday school 9:30 a.m. Morning worship 10:30 a.m. FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 212 West Locust, Fort Branch Pastor Corey Atkins Phone: 812-753-4623 Sunday school 9 a.m.; Worship ser vice 10 a.m. (Communion first Sunday); Second Cup of Coffee (la- dies' group) all ladies welcome, sec- ond Wednesday, 9 a.m. FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH OF FORT BR ANCH 100 W. Vine St., Fort Branch Rev. John Baylor, Jr., Pastor 812-753-4424 Sunday School 9:30 a.m.; Sunday Worship 10:30 a.m., nurser y pro- vided for preschool age and under. Youth Groups for grades 4-12 meet at 6 p.m. on Sunday evenings, Sept. through May. Details on the church website www.fbfirst.org. HOLY CROSS CATHOLIC CHURCH 200 S. Church St., Fort Branch Fr. Christopher Droste, Pastor Fr. Kenneth Betz and Fr. Luke Hassler, Associate Pastors Joe Siewers and William Brandle, Deacons Saturday Mass 4:30 p.m.; Sunday Mass 8:30 a.m. PROVIDENCE PRIMITIVE BAPTIST CHURCH CR 550 S., NE of Fort Branch Mitch Breidenbaugh, Pastor Sunday school for children and adults at 10:30 a.m.; worship 11 a.m.; For information, call 812-753-3386. ST. LUCAS UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST 6777 S. 350 East, Fort Branch Pastor John Heumann Sunday school 9:30 a.m.; Sunday worship 10:30 a.m. ST. BERNARD CATHOLIC CHURCH SNAKE RUN 5342 E. SR 168 (East of Fort Branch) 812-753-4568 Fr. Gary Kaiser, Pastor Sunday Mass 8:30 a.m. ST. PAUL'S UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST 4222 E. SR 168, Fort Branch Pastor John Heumann Sunday worship 9 a.m.; Sunday school 10:15 a.m. VERTICAL CHURCH Coal Mine Rd., Fort Branch Rich Clark, Pastor Sunday morning worship ser vices 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Vertical Kids chil- dren's ministr y available during both ser vices for children from birth to fifth grade. Ignite Ministr y is 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesdays for students in sixth-eighth grades. WESLEYAN CHURCH 202 E. Vine St., Fort Branch Sunday school from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.; Sunday worship, 10:30 a.m.; Sunday evening worship 6:30 p.m.; Wednesday evening adult Bible study, 6:30 p.m., GIG (Growing in God) Club for ages 5 to 11 (available while school is in session), Teen Group for ages 12 and up. For more information call the church at 812- 677-5007. HAUBSTADT NEW LIBERTY CHRISTIAN CHURCH Hwy. 68 between Cynthiana and Haubstadt Gordon Jones, Pastor Services Sunday 10:30 a.m. New Life House of Prayer 208 West Street, Haubstadt Adam and Lindsay Ping Phone: 812-215-9003 Sunday morning ser vice 10 a.m.; Children's Sunday school during ser vice; Food Pantr y open first and third Wednesdays of the month from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Ever yone welcome! IMMANUEL LUTHER AN CHURCH (LCMS) 1-1/2 miles south of I-64 and U.S. 41, Volkman Rd. Rev. Kirk Horstmeyer Saturday evening ser vices 5:30 p.m.; Sunday worship ser vices 8 a.m. and 10:15 a.m.; Sunday school 9:10 a.m. ST. JAMES CATHOLIC CHURCH Old Princeton Rd., Haubstadt Fr. Christopher Droste, Pastor Fr. Kenneth Betz and Fr. Luke Hassler, Associate Pastors Joe Siewers and William Brandle, Deacons Saturday Mass 5 p.m.; Sunday Masses 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. STS. PETER AND PAUL CATHOLIC CHURCH 201 Vine St., Haubstadt Fr. Christopher Droste, Pastor Fr. Kenneth Betz and Fr. Luke Hassler, Associate Pastors Joe Siewers and William Brandle, Deacons Saturday Mass 5 p.m.; Sunday Masses 7 and 10 a.m. ZION UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST Second and Elm St., Elberfeld Rev. Paul Fraser Sunday school 9 a.m.; worship ser- vice 10 a.m. LYNNVILLE BARNET T CHAPEL Stanley Road, Lynnville Don Williams, Pastor Sunday school 9 a.m.; worship ser vice 10 a.m.; Sunday evening wor- Points to Ponder By Curtis Bond Two Minutes With the Bible By Pastor Cornelius R. Stam Reflections From the Page By Cleoramae G. Stunkel The blessings of crisis The Apostle Paul, who had been through one desperate crisis after another, wrote as follows: "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called ac- cording to His purpose"(Rom. 8:28). How many people have found life go- ing along smoothly for years when, all of a sudden, they have found themselves in the middle of some serious crisis! Perhaps the sudden death of a loved one changed life completely and presented serious problems wholly unanticipated. Perhaps it was the sudden loss of wealth, so that life had to be completely readjusted. There are hundreds of unexpected incidents that can suddenly bring one face to face with stark and stern realities completely unforeseen. For believers in the Lord Jesus Christ such crises can prove great spir- itual blessings. They tend to draw us closer to our heavenly Father, to cause us to pray more and to lean harder upon Him. They show us the insecu- rity of all that is temporal and give us a greater appreciation of our eternal security in Christ. They give deeper meaning to the Scriptures we study and even to the hymns we sing. They sanctify and enrich our fellowships. To those — and only those — who truly love God and are "the called ac- cording to His purpose," all things do indeed "work together for good" — caused by God, of course, to "work together for good." This is why God's Word to the Christian is: "Be careful [care full] for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understand- ing, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:6,7). Insight By Dave Ingler Forgiving others "For through him we both have access to the Father by one spirit." (Ephesians 2:18) As the Apostle Paul wrote these words to the Gentile Christians in Ephesus, it was imperative that they understood how their new relation- ship with God the Father would cause them to change their preju- dices, hatred and unforgiveness to- ward the Jewish people whom they despised. No longer could feelings of unfor- giveness and bitterness reside in the life of someone who was a follower of Christ. No longer could one refuse to forgive others when God had freely and unconditionally forgiven them. Hatred toward another could no lon- ger be justified because of some act that had been done to them personal- ly or to an ancestor in the past. These believers were now new creations in Christ Jesus and attitudes once natural to the old man no longer be- A-8 Tuesday, July 12, 2022 South Gibson Star-Times See INSIGHT on page 9 See REFLECTION on page 9 See POINTS on page 9