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M INTRODUCTION
“A DAY OF Joy and Gladness” — what a
happy title for a lesson! In reality our study
today is about the love of God,for it. speaks
of a gladness that can be known only from
within the boundaries of His fcve.' The love
of God is spontaneous. That' is, it origin
ates from within Himself, a voluntary
movement toward us. J
Contemplate that last statement. God’s
love is a voluntary movement toward Us!
Can it be true that God’s fcve is really
♦spontaneously directed toward us, even
though we may be unlovableTYes, it is true.
It is the mystery of grace kf undeserved
divine flavor. And this truth ii the theme of
the entire Bible. God is forever seeking to
draw us into His fellowship so that we may
receive blessings. pF
The word “happiness” does not appear in
the Bible, and even the/word “happy,’
which we do find, could will be translated
“blessed.” The kind of1 happiness God
. bestows is a divine blessedness that is
experienced in spite of conditions. It comes
from knowing that God it hear at all times
"and in all circumstances.
LESSON BACKGROUND
-In our study of Isaiah, We should note that
chapters 34 and 25 belong together. The
farmer speaks of God's severe judgment
•Eoom is singled out toreceive the wrath of
God for her wickedness toward Judah, the
people of God. f '
That notion is used as an example of how
God will deal with all who set themselves
against Him and against His people. But the
storm of judgement promised in chapter 34
gives way to the sweet calm and blessing
that constitute the promise of chapter 35.
This chapter is a promise of the trans
formation of the wilderness into a beautiful
garden. People will also experience renew
al: the weak becoming strong; the fear
ful brave; the blind able to see; the deaf,
able to hear; the laiiie, able to walk and the
tongues of the speechless, able to sing.
(Isai&jfc 35:l-<) (Read it) Isaiah’s assur
ance that the day of gladness would come
was not based on a belief in what man could
accomplish. He had seen what man could do
to blight both humankind and the earth. His
confidence was jn what the Lord could do
and would do, to bring deliverance.
^It would b^natural to view these words as
a prophecy descriptive of Israel’s happy
return from captivity and the Jews who
later read them would undoubtedly under
stand them injuns light. Nor would they be
wrong. Isaiahfwas speaking to the people of
his day, and sis message had meaning for
them. But the prophecy received its perfect
fulfillment in Jesus. Thus, Isaiah was
speaking of something greater than ever he
may have resized.
(Vv. 3-4) “St engthen ye the weak hands,
and confirm U e feeble knees.” Figurative
ly or literally, the returning exiles would
need to be str ingthened for their journey.
Emotionally, ! p-ength would be provided
when the joyml news of salvation was
proclaimed. Bsyond that, whatever assist
ance the strong could provide for the weak
should be freeW offered. To us the same
admonition is1 given: “We that are strong
ought to beaij the infirmities of the
weak,” (Rom a is 15:1).
“Strengthen ye the weak hands.” It is not
enough just to sympathize. Feeling sorry
for others must tot become a substitute for
doing what w< can do to help them.
“Confirm the lseble knees:” Those who
grow tired on [the journey need to be
reminded of the ilory awaiting them and be
helped along theiway. <V. 4) "Say to them
that are of fearful heart, be strong, fear not,
behold, your Gdd will come: with ven- .
geance, even Goo with a recompense; he
will come and sa|e you.”
jhMany of the ex|es would be of a fearful
nRurt, concemedSthat they might not be
equal to the journty. These would need to be
encouraged. The |une is true of those Who
would walk in the Way of God today. It is no
sin to admit that we are Weak. Indeed, to,
boast of strength, ' may be the prelude to
downfall. Re mem her Peter, who declared
to Jesus, “Even if all fall away, I Will not,”
(Mark 14:29). Yet h* was weak Uka the tmt.
Even so, Jesus said to him, “I have prayed
for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail.
And when you have timed bads, strengthen
your brother,” (Lukd 22:32).
■ce of the
strength
as given
om the
StDeotl
in is the
f God be
Romans
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will ooH.wi«h vengeance. ,
BELK DEPART TNTSTORE
—In Monroe Mall
Hunley Says:
Hacks Are Significant
In Belk Stores’ Profits
By Karen Parker
Post Staff Writer
According to a recent
national consumer survey
conducted by Roper Or
ganizations, Belk Depart
ment stores rank number
one in the nation.
Belk, headquartered in
Charlotte and located in 17
states, apparently pleases
more customers than the
popular Macy’s of New
York and May Co. of Cali
fornia.
Charles L. Hunley,
executive vice president
and supervising partner of
the Belk-Hunley stores,
stated he doesn’t have sta
tistics indicating the num
ber of dollars spent by the
black community, but he is
“absolutely certain,”
blacks are significant in
' Belk’s profits.
“Relating to population,
I know we have some Belk
stores in cities where the
black population is 60 per
cent,” Hunley noted. He
also mentioned, because of
the monetary influence
which blacks have in its
approximately 400 stores,
they (blacks) must be re
presented in management
positions.
Hunley spoke about
some blacks and women
who have had long, pro
gressive careers with the
Belk company. Two of
those were Chariot tea ns
Rev. George E. Battle, Jr.
and Johnson C. Smith
graduate, Richard Miller.
Miller continues to work
for Belk as a manager in
buying service.
Hunley spoke proudly of
Beik, which started as one
store in Monroe, N.C. in
4-H Workshop
The Gaston County 4-H
Program is offering a
workshop concerning the
three chases of eood
health - Mind, body, and
Soul.
The workshop is entitled
“Looking Good and Feeling
Fine” and will take place
February 7, 9 and 14 at 7
p.m., at the Agriculture
Center in Dallas. Work
shops are open to all youth
ages 6-19 and their pa
rents. A $2 registration fee
covers costs of workshop
materials.
Preregistration is en
couraged. Call 866-3775 for
more information.
Karate Classes
The SCLC Headquarters,
1594 West Boulevard, is
sponsoring karate classes
on Monday evenings, 6-7:90
p.m., Thursday evenings,
6-7:90 p.m. and Saturdays,
10 a.m. • 12:90 p.m.
Youth nine years of age
and older, along with
adults* are invited to at
tend. For more informa
tion, contact the SCLC
Headquarters at 374-0667 or
372-0700.
Black Women
"Black Women:
Achievement* against the
Odds” will be on exhibit at
Reedy Greek Elementary
School from January SI •
February 9. The exhibit,
from the Mint Museum of
History, acquaints viewers
with Mack women whose
accomplishments over the
past SOO years have
changed our lives.
Far more information,
contact Patricia Kelly,
assistant principal for
instruction, at 9*7-9189.
Fin* Citizen
Of * 60 per
in the previous
• _
Charles Hanley
...Executive vice president
1888. “I was amazed at the
number of customers we
attract who are above the
medium-income,” Hunley
admitted. “We’re definite
ly getting our share of the
market,” he professed.
Hunley explained the
survey was conducted last
September. “I didn’t know
anything about it until we
received the results,” he
said. The survey of
2,000 consumers across the
nation was taken by Col
ton Bernard, Inc., a man
agement consulting com
r ■
pany in New York that
serves the apparel indus
try.
The surveyed consum
ers, 32 percent of them
living in the South, were
asked which department
store they preferred fore
most. Though Belk is a
regional retail operation,
the percentage chosen by
consumers in the region
still ranked it higher than
the popular widespread
Macy’s stores.
CTC Serves Alcoholics
With “Intensive Program”
By Loretta Managu
Post Staff Writer
The first step towards
recovering from alcohol
ism is the acknowledge
ment that there is a
problem.
The second step is get
ting help. Here in Char
lotte, the Charlotte Treat
ment Center does just that.
For 30 years the Char
lotte Treatment Center, ?
non-profit organization,
has served alcoholics and
their families through its
intensive program.
The Charlotte Treatment
Center dispels any myth
that alcoholism is not a
disease. The center be
lieves that once alcohol
ism is thought of in the
same way as cancer or
heart disease, then it will
be easier to understand
that alcoholism is medic
ally treatable. With treat
ment and abstinence, the
Charlotte Treatment Cen
ter guarantees recovery.
Upon admittance into the
Charlotte Treatment
Center, the patient, after
undergoing detoxification,
is given a complete me
dical examination.
One-on-one counseling,
along with group therapy,
and recreational therapy,
is part of the treatment
program.
At the Charlotte Treat
ment Center, treatment is
also available for the pa
tient’s family. Through
counseling and therapy,
the family learns new
ways to handle problems
and to communicate
better.
There is also a process
called Intervention, that
allows Charlotte Treat
ment Center to reach the
person who doesn’t want
help.
On the average, a patient
stays at the Center 28
days, where they enjoy a
pleasant atmosphere, ex
cellent food and semi
private rooms.
Upon the successful com
pletion of the in-patient
phase, the individual
enters a one-year, after
care program.
•counseling
• CONSULTATION
•TRAINING
Marriage & Family Counseling
Consultation, Staff Development and
Training for Business and
Human Services Agencies
Ricks Resources
Carole B. Ricks, A.C.S.W.
909 East Boulevard, Suite 5
(between Dilworth Rd. W. and Park Rd.)
9 a.m.-5 p.m. (also by appt.) 333-0140
TRANSMISSION NOW OPEN IN CHARLOTTE I
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Offer Expires 1-28-84
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3600 E. Independence Blvd.
K-Mart Shopping Ctr.
567-2087
2701 Freedom Drive
K-Mart Shopping Ctr.
392-2155
coupon
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AiiTboOFTEnBiG Ranks
Are Heard Bur Norm
Big banks these days are making a
lot of noise about being the largest, or the
busiest, or the friendliest, or whatever
Very admirable ambitions
But at First Gtizens Bank, we think
that all of that begins with putting our
branches and offices in cities, tcwms and
neighborhoods where they'll do the
most go&d
That's out way of saying that NO
bank in North Carolina has more branches,
more offices than first Gtizens.
But, having more branches isn’t what
maws us a better bank In tact, we strongly
believe that bigger is seldom better
So. why does the state's fifth largest
bank have more branches than even the
largest bank in the state? And more im
portant .why are we talking about it?
To make a point.
One of the teaaona Rrst Gtizervs has
more branches than any other bank »that.
• Ht) Om !■* 4 Comfl
IWrUCMtabM*)
- ■ ■ --■*
in addition to the majorurhan areas, we have
put offices in places that bigger banks have
deemed unprofitable, or "too small!" Places
like Pink Hill, or Henrietta, or Oriental,
North Carolina
Wfcll, to the people that live in those
communities, they arent too small They have
the same banking and financial needs as
everyone else in North Carolina And vmc
thinlc that just because their communities
are small is no reason they shouldn't have
access to those services
Now. if you live in one of North
Carolina's major cities, you're probably ask
ing yourself, That’s nice, but what does it
mean to me?"
J us this: No bank is more
committed to the state and the
people of North Carolina than
Firs Gtiwns The same philoso
phy of doing business that com
pels u» to open an office in Pink
Hill also compels us to offer better and
more financially resvarding services to ALL
OUT customers. That concern with what s best
for our customers bottom line is what has
hel ped make First G trzens one of the sm mg
cst. soundest banks in the entire country
And obviously, the bank that cares
about what happens to the people in Orien
tal is bound to express that same concern for
the people in the larger metropolitan areas
throughout the state
That's what it means to yxi and
thousands of others in North Carolina
So, if you sometimes get the feeling
that your big bank has outgresvn the need
for your business If you believe that they
have forgotten the people who
made them big, we invite ym to
become a pan of the growing
family at first Citizens Bank.
I Wkll be there-anywhere that
you need us Both seen and heard
K4**m'huC*mC*m*Or‘ horn TTw EfsHtw Car Tnm*