July 26, 2025

Henryetta Free Lance
Login Subscribe Advertisers
Google Play App Store
  • News
    • Obituaries
    • Lifestyle
    • Opinion
  • Sports
  • E-edition
  • Calendar
  • Archives
  • Contact
    • Contact Us
    • Advertisers
    • Form Submission
    • About Us
    • News
      • Obituaries
      • Lifestyle
      • Opinion
    • Sports
    • E-edition
    • Calendar
    • Archives
    • Contact
      • Contact Us
      • Advertisers
      • Form Submission
      • About Us
News
April 17, 2024
Accept Responsibility
By MARY MORRIS HENRYETTA RESIDENT,

“Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, says the Lord God. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed against me, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of any one, says the Lord God; so turn, and live.” (Ezekiel 18:30-32) The only one responsible for you is you. We can play the blame game at every turn, but when it all finally gets sorted rightly, we are truly the only one who will answer for what we ourselves did. Transgressions great or small, acts of kindness the same, we have been endowed by God with freedom of choice. What has been done by us or even to us by others need not be reflected in our future behavior is the theme projected by today’s verses. Clearly, our Creator loves His creation and seeks for all of it to abide in Him. The fact is that we must choose, of our own free will, to do that, regardless of our heritage or personal history. It doesn’t matter the origin of our ancestors, the amount in our bank account, or our place in society, God makes it abundantly and easily understood that we are in control of our behavior which will lead us ultimately into redemption or condemnation. Just like the choices made by Adam and Eve, we cannot blame anyone but ourselves for what we do. Sure, things beyond our control will happen, but our reaction to those events and our resulting behavior are still ours. Deciding each time to grab onto the Lord’s help is a learned habit. It isn’t impossible with God’s help. Will we slip or will we always succeed? We’re fallible because of the weakness of our flesh but the Lord sees much deeper than that. So own your responsibility, do what God expects, and when that weak flesh takes over, send repentance up to the Lord. He’ll still love you and maybe even love you more, if that’s possible.

“Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, says the Lord God. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed against me, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of any one, says the Lord God; so turn, and live.” (Ezekiel 18:30-32) The only one responsible for you is you. We can play the blame game at every turn, but when it all finally gets sorted rightly, we are truly the only one who will answer for what we ourselves did. Transgressions great or small, acts of kindness the same, we have been endowed by God with freedom of choice. What has been done by us or even to us by others need not be reflected in our future behavior is the theme projected by today’s verses. Clearly, our Creator loves His creation and seeks for all of it to abide in Him. The fact is that we must choose, of our own free will, to do that, regardless of our heritage or personal history. It doesn’t matter the origin of our ancestors, the amount in our bank account, or our place in society, God makes it abundantly and easily understood that we are in control of our behavior which will lead us ultimately into redemption or condemnation. Just like the choices made by Adam and Eve, we cannot blame anyone but ourselves for what we do. Sure, things beyond our control will happen, but our reaction to those events and our resulting behavior are still ours. Deciding each time to grab onto the Lord’s help is a learned habit. It isn’t impossible with God’s help. Will we slip or will we always succeed? We’re fallible because of the weakness of our flesh but the Lord sees much deeper than that. So own your responsibility, do what God expects, and when that weak flesh takes over, send repentance up to the Lord. He’ll still love you and maybe even love you more, if that’s possible.

Patrons Bank warns community of rising phone scams
A: Main, Lifestyle...
Patrons Bank warns community of rising phone scams
July 25, 2025
Patrons Bank is urging the community to be on high alert as phone scams targeting bank customers continue to rise across the country - and right here at home.Scammers are spoofing legitimate bank phon...
this is a test
Christmas in July is today
A: Main, Main...
Christmas in July is today
July 25, 2025
Downtown Henryetta is set to come alive with holiday spirit and summer sunshine today, as the Henryetta Chamber of Commerce presents its annual “Christmas in July” celebration. The event, scheduled fr...
this is a test
A: Main
Back-to-School excitement builds
July 25, 2025
As summer winds down and the school year quickly approaches, Henryetta Public Schools and Dewar Public Schools are rolling out the red carpet for students and families with a series of exciting back-t...
this is a test
Main Street Crossing Temporarily Closed
A: Main
Main Street Crossing Temporarily Closed
July 25, 2025
The City of Henryetta has announced that the Main Street railroad crossing is currently closed to all traffic. Residents needing to cross the tracks are encouraged to use the Trudgeon Street crossing ...
this is a test
Sales Tax Holiday returns Aug. 1-3
A: Main
Sales Tax Holiday returns Aug. 1-3
July 25, 2025
Shoppers across Okmulgee County and throughout the state will soon get a much-needed break on back-to-school expenses, as Oklahoma’s annual Sales Tax Holiday kicks off Friday, Aug. 1, and runs through...
this is a test
A: Main
Historical Museum open Saturday
July 25, 2025
The Henryetta Historical Museum continues to welcome guests through its doors this summer with its special every-other-weekend schedule - and this Saturday is no exception. The museum will be open Jul...
this is a test

e-Edition
ePaper
coogle_play
app_store
Editor Picks
News
OCEM Report
July 25, 2025
This report is a summary of activities Okmulgee County Emergency Management participated in and does not reflect all activities performed by or participated in by Okmulgee County Emergency Management....
this is a test
Plans underway for Okmulgee County Fair
News
Plans underway for Okmulgee County Fair
July 25, 2025
Planning is in full swing for the much-anticipated 2025 Okmulgee County Fair, with the event officially set to take place Sept. 4-6 at the Okmulgee County Fairgrounds.Members of the Fair Volunteer Com...
this is a test
Lions Club celebrates new members, history and upcoming events
News
Lions Club celebrates new members, history and upcoming events
July 25, 2025
The Henryetta Lions Club held a lively and productive meeting on Thursday, July 17, at The Shack 2.0, welcoming new members, celebrating local heritage and preparing for several key community events o...
this is a test
News
Preston Schools announces Child Nutrition Program
July 25, 2025
Preston Public Schools announced they are participating in free lunch and/or breakfast program for the 2026 school year. All students enrolled in the district or the listed sites may participate in th...
this is a test
News
OCA All-State Week festivities are July 26-31
July 25, 2025
The Oklahoma Coaches Association (OCA) is gearing up for its annual All-State events, set to take place from Saturday, July 26 through Thursday, July 31. Athletes, coaches, and sports enthusiasts from...
this is a test
Facebook

HENRYETTA FREE-LANCE
208 E. Main Street
Henryetta, OK 74437

918.652.3311

This site complies with ADA requirements

© 2022 Henryetta Free-Lance

  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Accessibility Policy