http://eastnewtonbaptistchurch.com/

East Newton Baptist Church, 11290 U.S. 278 E, Covington, GA (2026)

06/05/2026

Day by Day: Strength for the Journey

June 5, 2026

The Chief Cornerstone

By Pastor Danny Sorrells

Scripture: “Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house…” — 1 Peter 2:4-5 (NKJV)

Recently, Edy and I were on a little trip to the mountains and stayed in what I considered a pretty nice motel. There were several things I enjoyed about our stay, but one of my favorite parts was breakfast.

Now, I remember when a motel advertised “free breakfast.” Usually that meant a waffle maker, a few boxes of cereal, some bagels, coffee, and maybe a little juice. Not this place! They had sausage, country ham, bacon, eggs, grits, gravy, biscuits—and yes, I said biscuits! Good biscuits! Every morning I looked forward to breakfast. Usually when we visit the mountains, we go out to eat, but with food like that, I wasn’t going anywhere.

One morning after breakfast, I sat down in the lobby and began looking at the large fireplace. Of course, it wasn’t the season for a fire, but it was beautiful nonetheless. The chimney stretched all the way to the ceiling and was covered with stream rock. As I studied it, I noticed how perfectly the rocks fit together.

My first thought was, “There must have been a good rock mason who built this.”

The more I looked, the more impressed I became. Every stone seemed to have its place. The work was precise. It was obvious that whoever built it had a plan. He had to start somewhere and build from there, carefully placing one stone upon another.

As I sat there admiring the craftsmanship, my mind turned toward the goodness of God.

I thought about the greatest Builder of all. The One who created the mountains, the streams, and the rocks themselves. Then I thought about how the Bible refers to Jesus as the Chief Cornerstone.

In ancient construction, the cornerstone was the most important stone in the building. Everything else was measured and aligned by it. If the cornerstone was right, the building would be right. If it was off, everything else would be off as well.

The same is true in life.

For nearly 52 years now—and Lord willing, tomorrow I will celebrate my 63rd birthday—my life has been built upon Jesus Christ. I haven’t always done everything right. I’ve made mistakes. I’ve stumbled along the way. But I’ve found that when Jesus is your foundation, He keeps holding everything together.

The older I get, the more convinced I am that nothing in this world is worth building your life upon except Christ. Careers come and go. Possessions wear out. Popularity fades. But Jesus remains the same yesterday, today, and forever.

As I finish out whatever years God gives me, I want my life to continue pointing people to Him. I want to shine and share wherever I go. I want every stone that is added to the testimony of my life to bring glory to the One who laid the foundation.

My encouragement to you today is simple: Build your life with the Chief Cornerstone in mind. Let every decision, every relationship, every dream, and every plan be measured by Him. When Christ is your foundation, you’ll discover that He holds everything together.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Son to be the Chief Cornerstone of our lives. Help us to build carefully upon the foundation You have given us. Keep our hearts focused on Christ and allow our lives to bring honor and glory to Him. May we shine and share His love everywhere we go. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Application

Take a moment today to evaluate what your life is being built upon. If Jesus is your foundation, continue building for His glory. If something else has taken His place, make Him the Chief Cornerstone once again.

06/04/2026

Day by Day: Strength for the Journey

June 4, 2026

Beside the Still Waters

By Pastor Danny Sorrells

Scripture: “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul…” — Psalm 23:2-3 (NKJV)

I love how God often brings back memories, songs, or scriptures at just the right moment to encourage our hearts. It amazes me how something I may not have thought about in years can suddenly come to mind and minister to me exactly when I need it.

I’ll be honest with you—I don’t like valleys. I don’t enjoy trials, hardships, disappointments, or seasons of uncertainty. If I had my choice, I’d much rather stay on the mountaintop where the view is beautiful and everything seems to be going smoothly.

But when I look back over my life, I realize something. The times I appreciate the still waters the most are after I’ve walked through a valley. The refreshing is sweeter because I’ve known the struggle. The peace is more precious because I’ve experienced the storm.

Earlier today, I was thinking about Psalm 23 and the phrase, “He leadeth me beside the still waters.” As I sat there reflecting on those words, an old gospel song came flooding back into my mind:

“He leads me beside still waters, but in the valley, He restores my soul.”

What a powerful truth!

Many people think God only works on the mountaintops, but some of His greatest work is done in the valleys. It is there that He teaches us to trust Him. It is there that we learn His faithfulness. It is there that He refreshes our weary hearts and restores our souls.

I’ve been up the mountain, and I’ve been through the trials. I’ve walked through valleys I never wanted to enter. But when I look back, I can see the hand of God in every step. He never abandoned me. He never failed me. He never stopped loving me.

The valley is not where God leaves us; it is often where God restores us.

So whatever trial you may be facing today, don’t lose heart. Look for God in the midst of it. Listen for His voice. Trust His leadership. The same Shepherd who leads beside still waters is the Shepherd who walks with us through the valley.

And when the time is right, He will restore your soul.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for being faithful in every season of life. Thank You for walking with us through the valleys and leading us beside the still waters. When we grow weary, restore our souls. Help us to trust You in the difficult days and rejoice in Your goodness when You bring us through. Remind us that You are always with us and that Your grace is always sufficient. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Application

When you find yourself in a valley, don’t focus on the difficulty—focus on the Shepherd. The same God who led you through yesterday’s trials will restore your soul and lead you beside still waters once again.

06/03/2026

Day by Day: Strength for the Journey

June 3, 2026

By Pastor Danny Sorrells

He Did It All for Me

Scripture:
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
— Romans 5:8 (NKJV)

I sat down in my study recently to write some devotions. Like I often do, I pulled out my list of thoughts and ideas that I keep nearby. As I was looking through them, I had some music playing in the background. The Gaither Vocal Band began singing an old gospel song that I had heard hundreds, maybe even thousands, of times through the years.

The words were simple:

“He did it all for me, on the cross of Calvary, when He bled and cried, then bowed His head and died. Oh, praise the Lord, He did it all for me.”

I’ve loved that song for many years, but on this particular day something was different. As I listened, I became overwhelmed with the goodness of God. The words moved from being a familiar song to becoming a personal testimony.

I began thinking about what Jesus did on the cross of Calvary. I thought about the nails. I thought about the crown of thorns. I thought about the mocking, the beating, the rejection, and the suffering. I thought about the sinless Son of God hanging between heaven and earth, paying a debt He did not owe for people who could never repay it.

Then this thought gripped my heart:

He did it for me!

Yes, He died for the world. Yes, He died for all who would believe. Yes, His blood was sufficient for every sinner who would ever come to Him by faith.

But it became personal.

When Jesus went to the cross, He knew me. He knew every failure, every weakness, every sin, every struggle, and every disappointment. Yet He loved me enough to stay on that cross and finish the work of redemption.

The Creator of all things—the One who spoke the stars into existence, who hung the moon in the sky, and who formed mankind from the dust of the earth—bled and died for me.

What amazing love!

Sometimes we become so familiar with the story of Calvary that we fail to stand in awe of it. We sing about it. We preach about it. We read about it. Yet we must never lose the wonder that Jesus willingly gave His life so that we could have eternal life.

Today, take a moment and make it personal. Don’t just say, “Jesus died for the world.”

Say, “Jesus died for me.”

And when you do, I believe your heart will respond just like mine did:

Oh, praise the Lord! He did it all for me!

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for loving me enough to send Your Son to die in my place. Thank You for Calvary. Thank You for the blood that was shed for my sins. Help me never to lose the wonder of Your grace or take my salvation for granted. Fill my heart today with gratitude and praise for all that Jesus has done for me. In His precious name I pray, Amen.

Application

Today, pause several times throughout your day and simply thank Jesus personally for the cross. Don’t just think about what He did for mankind—remember that He did it for you. Let gratitude turn into worship and worship turn into faithful living.

06/02/2026

Day by Day: Strength for the Journey
By Pastor Danny Sorrells
June 2, 2026

Title: I’d Rather Have Jesus

Scripture:
“For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?”
Mark 8:36, NKJV

I recently heard a person say, “If I get a certain house, I just feel like I will have arrived. Everyone will take notice of me.”

Now let me say this plainly: there is nothing wrong with living in a nice home. There is nothing wrong with God blessing you. There is nothing wrong with working hard and enjoying the blessings God allows you to have.

But there is something very wrong when we believe a house, a car, money, popularity, position, or possessions will prove our worth.

The truth is, the things of this earth will pass away. Houses get old. Cars wear out. Money comes and goes. Popularity fades. The applause of people does not last very long.

But Jesus lasts forever.

George Beverly Shea used to sing, “I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold.” What a powerful truth. Silver and gold may impress people, but only Jesus can save the soul. A beautiful house may turn heads, but only Jesus can give peace in the heart.

We do not “arrive” when people notice us. We arrive where we need to be when we bow before Jesus and say, “Lord, You are enough.”

So enjoy the blessings God gives you, but never let the blessings become your god. Hold the things of this world loosely, and hold tightly to Jesus.

Because when this life is over, it will not matter who noticed your house. It will matter whether you knew Jesus.

Prayer:
Lord, help me not to chase the praise of people or the treasures of this world. Teach me to be thankful for Your blessings, but never to love them more than I love You. May my heart always say, “I’d rather have Jesus.” In Jesus’ name, amen.

06/01/2026

Day by Day: Strength for the Journey

June 1, 2026

Eggs Don’t Boil in the Microwave

Scripture:
“As a dog returns to his own vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.”
— Proverbs 26:11 (NKJV)

Today’s devotion is really going to date my age. It’s going to make some of you think back to a different time.

Today we don’t think much about technology. We carry cell phones in our pockets. We wear smart watches on our wrists. Some folks even make phone calls through earbuds. Our vehicles have hands-free calling, GPS, and more gadgets than we ever imagined.

But back in the day, the telephone hung on the wall and stayed on the wall! It had a cord attached to it, and if you wanted privacy, you stretched that cord as far as it would go. I can remember when we thought we had really moved up in the world when we got a cordless phone with a long antenna sticking out of it.

Those days are long gone.

But today I’m thinking about something else that happened many years ago.

Back in the early 1970s, we had a little barbecue business called the Barbecue Shack. One day my daddy was excited because we had gotten a brand-new gadget for the restaurant. It was called a microwave oven.

Now, if you’ve only seen modern microwaves, you wouldn’t believe how big those first ones were. They were huge! But they were amazing because they cooked things so much faster than anything we had ever seen.

Well, my daddy was always looking for a shortcut.

One day my mom and I had gone to pick up supplies. When we got back, Daddy was standing there looking frustrated.

Mom asked, “What’s wrong, Lewis?”

He said, “Well, that microwave taught me an important lesson today.”

She asked, “What’s that?”

He replied, “You can’t boil eggs in it!”

He had taken two eggs, put them in a sweetheart plastic bowl, covered them with water, and stuck them in the microwave. He punched in one minute.

Daddy said he didn’t get five seconds into it before there was the loudest BOOM he’d ever heard.

Those eggs exploded everywhere.

There was egg on the walls, egg on the ceiling, egg in places nobody thought eggs could reach!

Needless to say, Daddy learned a valuable lesson that day.

And more importantly, he never tried it again.

You know, that’s the way God intends for us to deal with our mistakes.

Too many people make a mess of things, suffer the consequences, and then turn right around and do the exact same thing again. They keep repeating the behavior that caused the problem in the first place.

God’s desire isn’t just that we feel bad about our sin. His desire is that we repent. Repentance means we change our direction. We learn from the mistake. We turn from it and move toward God.

When you’ve messed up, own it.

Ask God to forgive you.

If you’ve hurt someone, ask them to forgive you.

Then learn from it and determine by God’s grace not to repeat it.

My daddy learned that eggs don’t boil in the microwave.

Spiritually speaking, some of us need to learn that the things that blew up our lives the first time aren’t going to work any better the second, third, or fourth time.

God’s forgiveness is available. His grace is abundant. His mercy is new every morning.

But wisdom says, “Don’t keep repeating the same mistake.”

Prayer

Father, thank You for Your forgiveness when we fail. Help us not only to confess our sins but to turn from them. Give us wisdom to learn from our mistakes and strength to walk in obedience to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Shine & Share the Love of Christ Today!

Pastor Danny Sorrells

05/31/2026

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05/31/2026

Day by Day: Strength for the Journey
May 31, 2026
By: Pastor Danny Sorrells
Title: R.E.S.P.E.C.T.!

Scripture:
“Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.”
— Romans 13:7 (NKJV)

My, my, how times have changed. Growing up, I was taught respect. Respect your elders. Respect people in authority. Respect one another. I was taught to say, “Yes, sir,” “No, sir,” “Yes, ma’am,” and “No, ma’am.” I was taught to say “please” and “thank you.” Those things weren’t optional—they were expected.

Over the years, I’ve noticed that respect seems to be disappearing from our society. It has become increasingly common for people to speak harshly, criticize freely, and show little regard for others. Sadly, this attitude has even found its way into homes, schools, churches, and workplaces.

Now, I am Pastor Danny. I don’t go around insisting that people call me Reverend Danny. But I do appreciate when younger people call me Pastor Danny or Mr. Danny. That’s simply the way I was raised.

I remember back in 1976 sitting in front of our family gas station. An elderly black gentleman named Mr. Seale Smith would regularly come by to buy gas and have his car serviced. I always looked forward to seeing him.
Even though I was only twelve or thirteen years old, he always called me “Mr. Sorrells.”

One day I asked him about it.
He said, “Do you know why I call you Mr. Sorrells?”
I replied, “No, sir.”
He smiled and said, “It’s called respect. I respect you because you respect me. Since the first day I met you, you’ve always said ‘Yes, sir,’ ‘Thank you,’ and treated me with kindness. You’ve never disrespected me one bit. So I call you Mr. Sorrells because I respect you just like you respect me.”
Then he gave me advice I’ve never forgotten.
He said, “Son, if you’ll remember this, you’ll go a long ways in life. Always respect others, especially those who are in authority.”
You know what? He was right.

The Bible teaches us to honor others. It teaches us to respect authority. It teaches us to treat people with dignity because every person is made in the image of God.

Respect doesn’t mean we always agree. Respect doesn’t mean we approve of every decision someone makes. It simply means we choose to treat people with kindness, courtesy, and honor.

In a world filled with anger, division, and disrespect, Christians ought to stand out. We should be the people who say “please” and “thank you.” We should be the people who honor our parents, respect our leaders, appreciate our teachers, encourage our pastors, and treat everyone with dignity.

A little respect can open doors that talent never will.
So today, let’s bring back a little R.E.S.P.E.C.T. It may not be popular, but it’s still biblical.

Prayer

Father, help us to be people who honor You by honoring others. Teach us to show respect in our words, attitudes, and actions. May our lives reflect the kindness and humility of Christ in a world that desperately needs it. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Shine & Share the Love of Christ Today!

05/30/2026

Weep with Those Who Weep

Day by Day: Strength for the Journey

By Pastor Danny Sorrells – May 30, 2026

Scripture:

“Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.” — Romans 12:15 NKJV

“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” — Galatians 6:2 NKJV

I am forever grateful that I get to be a pastor. More than that, I am forever grateful that I get to be a Christian. And I take my Christianity seriously.

Recently, I was thinking about these words from Scripture:
“Weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice.”

I was called to preach when I was 15 years old. When I stop and think about it, it’s been close to 50 years now serving the Lord in ministry in some capacity, and 38 of those years have been as a senior pastor.

That’s a lot of life.

That’s a lot of hospital rooms.
That’s a lot of funerals.
That’s a lot of altar prayers.
That’s a lot of tears.
That’s a lot of rejoicing.

And through all these years, one thing God has continually taught me is this: people need people.

When someone rejoices, I truly want to rejoice with them. I’m thankful when God blesses somebody. I don’t want what they have — I just want to thank God with them and celebrate what the Lord has done in their life.

And then there are the other moments.

Moments when people are hurting.

I have wept with people through deaths in their family, terrible sicknesses, broken marriages, prodigal children, shattered dreams, and overwhelming burdens. There have been many times I’ve cried right alongside them because I genuinely care and genuinely love people.

Can I tell you something?
Christianity is more than just attending church services and quoting Bible verses. Christianity is loving people enough to walk through life with them.

The Bible says to “bear one another’s burdens.”

That means when somebody hurts, we should care. When somebody is struggling, we should pray. When somebody is carrying a heavy load, we shouldn’t stand back in judgment — we ought to help carry the burden.

At our church, we use a One-Call system for prayer requests and reminders. Many times, when an urgent prayer need goes out, I’ll say something like this:

“Please stop right now and pray.”

And I’ve often wondered — how many people actually stop what they’re doing and pray?

Not later.
Not eventually.
But right then.

Friend, prayer is not a formality. Prayer is ministry. Prayer is burden-bearing. Prayer is love in action.

When someone asks you to pray for them, don’t treat it lightly. They may be hanging on by a thread. Your prayer may be exactly what encourages them to keep going another day.

One of the greatest ministries you can ever have is simply being there for people.

Sometimes folks don’t need a sermon.
Sometimes they just need somebody to care.

Jesus cared.

He wept with Mary and Martha before He raised Lazarus from the dead. He cared about hurting people. And if we are going to truly follow Jesus, then we must learn to care deeply for others too.

Challenging Thought

Who around you today needs encouragement, prayer, or simply someone willing to care enough to stop and pray?

Prayer

Father, help me to have a tender heart toward people. Teach me to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep. Help me never to become cold or indifferent to the burdens others carry. Let me be an encourager, a prayer warrior, and a reflection of the compassion of Jesus Christ. In His name I pray, Amen.

05/29/2026

Behind the Trees and Under the Cross

Day by Day: Strength for the Journey

By Pastor Danny Sorrells – May 29, 2026

Scripture:

“But if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” — John 12:32 NKJV

Recently, Miss Edy and I took a little trip to the mountains. One morning I was sitting out on the balcony having my quiet time with the Lord. Off in the distance, behind a line of trees, I could see part of a building, but honestly, I couldn’t tell what it was. It didn’t appear to be a super large place from where I was sitting.

As the morning went on, I noticed cars slowly beginning to pull into a parking lot. Then another parking lot began filling up. Before long, people were parking down the street and walking back. Families got out together smiling and talking. Men were carrying Bibles under their arms. Folks were greeting one another with joy as they walked toward the building.

Then it hit me.

Behind the trees was a church.

And standing across the street on the mountainside was the large cross I mentioned last week. Suddenly, the whole scene began preaching a message to my heart.

There was a church behind the trees… under the cross… and people were coming.

I sat there thinking about how many times our Christian life gets hidden “behind the trees.” What I mean is this: how often do we go through our week and nobody can really tell we belong to Jesus? We blend in with the world. We keep quiet when we ought to speak up. We live hidden behind fear, busyness, compromise, or distraction.

But can I remind you today that Jesus never intended for His followers to stay hidden?

Jesus said in Matthew 5:14, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.”

Those people in the mountains weren’t ashamed to be seen going to church. They weren’t ashamed to carry their Bibles. They weren’t ashamed to gather under the message of the cross.

And as I watched them walking toward those doors, I thought about the words of Jesus in Revelation 3:20:

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock…”

Friend, there are still people searching. There are still families looking for hope. There are still hurting hearts needing Jesus. And there is still a church behind the trees, under the cross, where people can come and find grace, mercy, forgiveness, and salvation.

The question is this:
Can people tell by the way we live that we belong to Him?

Are we leading people toward Jesus… or hiding behind the trees?

I thank God for churches where the cross is still lifted high. I thank God for people who still carry their Bibles with joy. I thank God there are still places where families gather to worship Jesus.

And may we never forget — the cross is still drawing people today.

Challenging Thought

If your life were the only Bible someone saw this week, would they know you belong to Jesus?

Prayer

Father, help me never to hide my faith behind the trees of this world. Let my life point others to the cross of Jesus Christ. Give me boldness to live openly for You and compassion to invite others to come and know the Savior. Thank You for the church and for the hope we have through the cross. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

East Newton Baptist Church

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