Sovereign Grace Missionary Baptist Church
1217 Dillon Texarkana, Texas 75501
Celebrating 50 years as a Church of Jesus Christ
October 29, 1961 – October 29, 2011
July 31, 2011
Newsletter Number 328

Elder Randy Johnson, Pastor Brother 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, Sister Alice Hoskins and Family, Grandchildren, Liz Janis and Debbie Gray, Derrick & Alecia and sons Coty & Carson Clements, Frank Trusty, Bryndon Thomas, Frank & Dawana Reigel, Andrew Preston, Larry Mollette, Larry Mollette II & Family, Kerry Pennington, Kim Poole, Danny & Nita Mollette, Wendell Henderson, Judy Dunn, Martha Gray, Joshua Kidd, Matthew Kidd,, Ronnie Henderson Jr. & Son Kevin Henderson, Jim Stagner, Bro. & Mrs. Hammond, Don & Neil Hammond, Charles Hammond, Archie & Barbara Griffin & son Daniel, Bro. & Sister Bob Keller, Kathy Rosinbaum, Mary Ramsey, Donna Johnson, Fay Johnson, Luann Reynolds, Brother Curtis Pugh, Timothy and Nathan Fails, Jacob Ramsey, Jim & Linda Meier, Brother David & Sister Anne Shortt, Brother Manuel Seymour, Letha Langford, Brother & Sister Kelley Hinson and Kelley Lee, Billy and Jo Hobbs, Jerry Hughes, Sister Nita Bookout, Justin Bookout, Pastor G. L. Burr, Melody Carr, Janie Capps, Gina Sullivan, Katie Norton, Imajo Tracy, Linda Hughes, Roy Lemmon, Marshall Risinger, Lee Mollette’s Daughter & Granddaughter Kristal, Dale Barnes, Keith Johnson, Tammy Hairston, Lorene & David Rodden, Leon Wyckoff, and Bro. Sergey Mochalov and the Churches in Russia.

The Pastors Corner:

The Beatitudes; Introduction

"And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: (2.) And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying," Matthew 5:1 – 2

As we take the next few weeks to look at the Beatitudes let us remember who it was that delivered this sermon, it was Jesus Christ. As people look at the Beatitudes it sort of looking at the Ten Commandments “I will pick and choose which ones I will obey and which ones I will turn my head the other way on” but beloved it simply should not be that way; just as the Ten Commandments are God’s Holy Law so is the Beatitudes of Jesus Christ. This was the very first sermon ever delivered in the very first church. If you will read the entire twelfth chapter of 1st Corinthians you will find the order of the first church and all churches that followed. We find in 1 Corinthians 12:28 it states "And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers…” Now to find this church read Matthew chapters 3 – 4 first you will find John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness and baptizing those whom had been saved. Now one may ask who was John baptizing if the church had not began yet but I say it had; John the Baptist was the forerunner of Jesus Christ preparing the way for Christ Jesus in preparing the assembling of the first church in Jerusalem. The first church was organized by God in calling John the Baptist to preach and baptize, however the first church was assembled on the mountain top. Next we see John the Baptist baptize Jesus Christ, then we see Jesus tempted of Satan, then we see Jesus began to build the church as He walks through the towns and villages calling out people to follow Him. First, the Apostles, secondly teachers, and then followers. God setting those in the church as it had pleased Him. As all those who had been gathered by Jesus and baptized by John went to the mountain and then to the top of the mountain sit by as the first church service began with Jesus Christ delivering the first sermon and His sermon topic was “The Beatitudes” as we know them (not that this was actually His message title). This would have to be known as the greatest sermon ever delivered because it was the sermon of the Son of God. Now Jesus preached many sermons while He was on earth but this one had special meaning because by this time the church had officially been assembled and the first sermon delivered and what a sermon it was “Blessed are”. Blessed are you whom God has elected to be saved, blessed are you that are church members, blessed are you who are knowledgeable, blessed are you who are followers of Gods holy word and etc, etc, etc. The word “blessed” means – fortunate but it also means happy – we sometimes make the meaning happy and bypassing the fortunate part but while we are happy in spirit if we follow the beatitudes we are also fortunate that we have the ability to follow them. Fortunate that we are saved and are Gods children.

As we take a closer look at the “Beatitudes” for the next several weeks let us remember they are for us and our benefit. These are Gods law just as the Ten Commandments are and are to be followed the same. Please heed them and place them as part of your life and you will be happy and blessed in your life. The Ten Commandments shows us our sins but the Beatitudes shows us how to be happy in Jesus Christ. "Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven...” Matthew 5:12

Promise Of Future Meeting:

"I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice." John 16:22

Surely He will come a second time, and then, when He sees us, and we see Him, there will be rejoicings indeed. Oh for that joyous return!

But this promise is being daily fulfilled in another sense. Our gracious Lord has many "agains" in His dealings with us. He gave us pardon, and He sees us again, and repeats the absolving word as fresh sins cause us grief. He has revealed to us our acceptance before God, and when our faith in that blessing grows a little dim, He comes to us again and again, and says, "Peace be unto you"; and our hearts are glad.

Beloved, all our past mercies are tokens of future mercies. If Jesus has been with us, He will see us again. Look upon no former favor as a dead and buried thing, to be mourned over; but regard it as a seed sown, which will grow, and push its head up from the dust, and cry, "I will see you again." Are the times dark because Jesus is not with us as he used to be? Let us pluck up courage; for He will not be long away. His feet are as those of a roe or young hart, and they will soon bring Him to us. Wherefore let us begin to be joyous, since He saith to us even now, "I will see you again."

By Charles Haddon Spurgeon from his "Faith's Checkbook" series

Church News:

The church will hold her monthly business meeting next Sunday August 7^th at 4:00. Please plan to attend because we have several points of business to discuss. We have the Bible Conference that needs to be prepared for; we have to discuss the A/C unit, and many other issues to discuss.

God’s Warning:

Hosea 4:6 – 9 “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. (7.) As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame. (8.) They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity. (9.) And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings.”