New Melody Church

  Which Side I have a fellow preacher and friend that is a sometimes songwriter. Brother Jessie Jones is pastor of Collins Chapel just outside of Fort Blackmore Virginia. A song that he wrote just after his conversion has a catchy title; "Which side of the river will you walk on?" While standing on a bridge crossing a river, one can look right and left. In so doing they can see the lay and roughness of the land. Both sides will not look the same. Going down river being their goal, they only consider that direction. Their choice will be based upon what they see processed through what they know. On the right, a narrow path beneath a towering cliff is accessible. To the left a wide-open field. The choice seemed easy. Though the path on the right was rugged, it lay beneath a bluff that testified that the many feet that had trod that trail indicated it was the right one to traverse. Also, being on the steep side of the river bluff, indicated there may be beautiful waterf...

  The Visitor Brother Bill flew for hours to arrive in Tennessee. By automobile and a brother's help, he penetrated England Valley, Virginia with a gigantic splash. Prepared and waiting, a small cabin built with love rested along the border of a babbling brook. A nother brother within waited impatiently for the sound of his voice. Near four years had passed since it had been last heard. The hug and greeting were such ones as are destined for eternal greatness. The love and renewed bonding simply cannot be described . With the death angel lingering nearby, the greeting was both an awesome experience and destined to be the last of such sharing. He settled in as though he was home. He had made reservations and they were honored to the "letter of the law." He would continue in his span of life. The darkness was not for Him. He knew God but was a Christian Agnostic. He has not made reservations in heaven but prayers are that he will. Jesus said that he went to prepare a pla...

  Fishing A small creek meandered past the house in which I grew to maturity. It whispered a melody so sweet as it rushed over boulders and tiny waterfalls situated along its path. A quantity of water pooled above every obstruction is encountered. Rock from ages past that floodwaters could not move but hollowed around made a perfect hiding place for aquatic life. Minnows were plentiful and some of the rather large size. Many evenings after chores were completed we community boys would gather in the barn lot and dig "redworms." for bait." proud as a peacock and just about as tall, we strutted to some favorite fishing hole. Equipped with a willow switch rod, heavy sewing thread and homemade hook from a bent in half straight pen and our Prince Albert tobacco can of worms, we perched atop some large bolder and snagged many "Red Horse” minnows. It was 'catch and release' because the hooks had no barbs. About eighteen inches above the water the minnow would do...

  No Time We rush and hustle. We run and we grow weak. We complain; “where does time go? We anxiously await the arrival of our lone missed loved ones. We wait and wait and time slips away unnoticed until the final hours alert us. Too late then to make amends where possible, we grieve its passing; for others as well as ourselves. Most successful people have a “game plan.” Written and recorded, this plan becomes a trail map to time conservation...well to time’s better applications. There are some startling statistics I have discovered and wish to impart to those “too busy” Christians who sit and wait on Jesus’ coming: According to a “Timex survey,” Americans wait on average of 20 minutes a day for the bus or plane train, 32 minutes whenever they visit a doctor and 28 minutes waiting in security lines whenever they travel. Most Americans spend 13 hours annually waiting on hold for customer service report Time. The average American commuter spends 38 hours each year waiting in t...

  Stand    We learned in Ecclesiastes, "there is a time for all things." (Ecclesiastes 3:1) How often do go to the Lord to discuss our thankfulness or our infirmities? Abiding it the continuum of life  guarantees there will be a filling of trouble a nd sorrow. That poison plant was grafted into existence by Adam and eve. It has total existence. It is a product of the devious mind of Satan. We stand openly aware that the swarm is approaching but we cannot fight what we cannot see. Microscopic marauders travel about seeking who they can devour. They are children of the devil. They go where he goes. COVID did not appear until Satan planted a seed. He can not stop scientists from developing a treatment for the maladies he sifts out of the bag of tortures that he has for us. Satan cares little when one disease is killed. There are millions of pestilences at his command.      To stand strong, or remain and endure is truly not a human's call. We simply ...