When the door is shut, time has run out.

Sovereign Grace Missionary Baptist Church 1217 Dillon Texarkana, Texas 75501 April 18, 2010 Elder Randy Johnson, Pastor Bro. Ronnie Henderson, Song Director Pastor E-Mail: sgmbcpastor@baptistsonline.org Web Site: www.baptistsonline.org/sgmbc "Where The Truths Of God’s Word Are Still Taught"

You Were Asked To Pray For: All of Our Military, Their Family’s & All the Civilian Workers in The Middle East, Zee Mink Fuller and Family, Her son’s Bryan Armstrong and Hunter Hackie, Daughter Shannon, and Brother Philip & Sondra Thornsberry, Virgil & Alice Hoskins, Grandchildren, and his daughters Liz Janis and Debbie Gray, Alecia Clements, Bryndon Thomas, Frank & Dawana Reigel, Andrew Preston, Helen Maggard, Renee Jackson, Larry Mollette, Larry Mollette II & Family, Kirby Mollette, Kerry Pennington, Kim Butler, Danny & Nita Mollette, Verna Mae Allen, Wendell Henderson, Judy Dunn, Joshua Kidd, Matthew Kidd, Kevin Henderson, Jim Stagner, Bro. & Mrs. Hammond, Don Hammond, Charles Hammond, Eric Hammond, Archie & Barbara Griffin & son Daniel, Bro. & Sister Bob Keller, Wanda Fowler, Kathy Rosinbaum, Brenda Galusha and Jewel, Mary Ramsey, Donna Johnson, Fay Johnson, Luann Reynolds, Bro. & Sis. Curtis Pugh, Timothy and Nathan Fails, Jacob Ramsey, Jim & Linda Meier, Brother David & Sister Anne Shortt, Brother Manuel Seymour & Family, Doris Hammock, Letha Langford, Brother & Sister Kelley Hinson and Kelley Lee, Billy and Jo Hobbs, Jerry Hughes, Sister Nita Bookout and her Niece, Roger Bookout, Pastor G. L. Burr, Alicia Lightsey, Melody Carr, Betty, Janie Capps, Scott and Gina Sillivan, Katie Norton, An unnamed child, and Bro. Sergey Mochalov and the Churches in Russia.

A Thought From Pastor Johnson: When the door is shut, time has run out. Luke 13:23 - 25 “Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, (24.) Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. (25.) When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:” This passage of scripture makes us understand something that is not taught or believed by many today, that is that salvation is limited to mankind both in numbers and in time, and time is running short. Anyone who cannot see the coming of the Lord to be soon is not paying attention to the scriptures. God has promised that during the tribulation period He would send strong delusion that will cause them not to believe in Jesus Christ making it known to us that time is running out on salvation. 2 Thessalonians 2:11 - 12 “And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: (12.) That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” While God did say He loved the world (that is all races of the world) He did not say He loved all of mankind and never promised to save all or even a large percentage of mankind, but rather a remnant, we also find Jesus praying in John 17 not for the world but rather for them given to Him before the foundation of the world. The Lord spoke much about an apostasy (or a renunciation of the truth of Gods word) and how people would flock to them that had wonderful words rather than truth and we have reached that time. Time is running out on salvation and while there is some time left we need to focus on the gospel of Christ. Many today have views that are contrary to the scripture which make people believe they are saved rather than the truth that will actually bring salvation. These are they known as the apostasy, them that were not satisfied with God saving sinners and creating other ways to cause them to be saved but truly are not being saved. There are millions upon millions who attend church every Sunday that think they are saved but do not truly believe in their hearts that Jesus is the Christ the Son of the Living God and the Saviour of mankind, but rather have made a decision, a choice or prayed a prayer but have not believed in Jesus Christ. All of these people will walk the wide path into eternal destruction unless a change of heart has been truly made. The path to hell is wide because many more will travel this path rather than the narrow path that leads to eternal life. And we could look at it this way; the narrow path which is salvation through Jesus Christ is simpler and narrower than the path to eternal destruction which is the wide path of salvation they teach. The Lord reminds us of this very important fact 2 Corinthians 6:2 “(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)” now is the time for salvation because if Jesus Christ returns today like a thief in the night you will be left behind to suffer the wrath of God. I am a strong believer in the saving grace of God and believe that God saves sinners, however He instructed us (the churches) to carry the gospel to the world and I believe the necessity or urgency goes with it. I will leave you all with this scripture; 2 Corinthians 13:5 “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” you’re eternal destiny depends on the out come!

Paying love's debt: We ought not to need night—to teach us the glories of the day. We ought not to have to wait for sorrow, before we can appreciate the sweetness of joy. Yet is it not often true, that we learn the value of our blessings—but by their loss? Many a time an empty chair is the first full revealer of the worth and faithfulness of a precious friend. Would it not be best, if we were to seek to appreciate our good things—while we have them? We would then have the joy itself, and not merely the dull pain of regret as we look back at vanished blessings. Besides—we would do more for our friends while they are with us—if we appreciated their worth. Too many of us never understand what we owe to our dear ones—until there remains no further opportunity of paying love's debt. By: J. R. Miller, 1890

ENEMIES AT PEACE: “When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him” Prov. 16:7 I must see that my ways please the Lord. Even then I shall have enemies; and, perhaps, all the more certainly because I endeavor to do that which is right. But what a promise this is! The Lord will make the wrath of man to praise Him, and abate it so that it shall not distress me. He can constrain an enemy to desist from harming me, even though he has a mind to do so. This He did with Laban, who pursued Jacob, but did not dare to touch him. Or He can subdue the wrath of the enemy, and make him friendly, as He did with Esau, who met Jacob in a brotherly manner, though Jacob had dreaded that he would smite him and his family with the sword. The Lord can also convert a furious adversary into a brother in Christ, and a fellow-worker, as He did with Saul of Tarsus. Oh, that He would do this in every case where a persecuting spirit appears! Happy is the man whose enemies are made to be to him what the lions were to Daniel in the den, quiet and companionable! When I meet death, who is called the last enemy, I pray that I may be at peace. Only let my great care be to please the Lord in all things. Oh, for faith and holiness; for these are a pleasure unto the Most High! By Charles Spurgeon from his “Faith’s Checkbook”