Sovereign Grace Missionary Baptist Church
1217 Dillon Texarkana, Texas 75501
May 27, 2012          
 Newsletter Number 368

Brother 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 Have Been Taught For More Than Fifty Years”

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, Joyce Gomez , Frank & Sonya 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, Dina McCray, Ronnie Henderson Jr. & Son Kevin Henderson, Ricky Henderson and Family, 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, James and Luann Reynolds, Brother Timothy and Nathan Fails, Jacob Ramsey, Jim & Linda Meier, Brother Manuel Seymour, Letha Langford, Brother & Sister Kelley Hinson and Kelley Lee, Jerry Hughes, Sister Nita Bookout, Justin Bookout, Pastor G. L. Burr, Melody Carr, Janie Capps, Imajo Tracy, Linda Hughes, Roy Lemmon, Lee Mollette’s Daughter & Granddaughter Kristal, Dale Barnes – Kathy Johnson and their mother, Tammy Hairston, Tommy Lee Walker, Linda Mollette, Pat and Waymon Abercrombie, Barbara Brewer, Michelle Knowlton, Donna Jones, Gina Peel, Frank Roberts, Dina Thomas, Dale and Linda Trahan, Curtis Pugh, Brother Sullivan and the work in Thailand, Brother Raul and the work in Romania,  and Bro. Sergey Mochalov and the Churches in Russia.

The Pastors Corner:

The Holy Spirit Part 2

We now come to the second part of our study on the Holy Spirit. We would like to recognize some of the workings of the Holy Spirit. I am a firm believer that God saves sinners, I am also a firm believer that no man can turn from his wicked ways of being a sinner and turn to God, therefore I must conclude that the Holy Spirit is the single one who pricks our hearts and causes us to repent.  God has concluded that the Holy Scriptures were written by man, but men inspired by God, this is the reason Paul concluded “All scripture is given by inspiration of God..." 2 Timothy 3:16 and then we must look at what Peter concluded “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” 2 Peter 1:21 Either these two great men were absolute liars or we must conclude the holy men of God wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. We know that the Holy Spirit was involved in creation because of Genesis 1:2 but notice what Job said about the Holy Spirit and creation "The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life." Job 33:4 He concluded that it was the Holy Spirit that had made him a just man, just as He has made us all that are saved; even what we are in this life. No man works the works of God without the Holy Spirit making him what he is. We also know that the Holy Spirit works with lost people; because if you will remember just before the flood God had concluded "...My spirit shall not always strive with man..." Genesis 6:3 (Now this is not to be equated with the Holy Spirit working with man in salvation.) but rather the Holy Spirit dealing with the lost only. God has much wonderful longsuffering with both the saved and the lost or other wise He would simply destroy us all. But the clock is running on the evils of this world; just as it was before the flood "...his days shall be an hundred and twenty years." Genesis 6:3 we have no conclusion when exactly Jesus Christ will return and then Gods judgments begins to unfold, but we do know there is a set time just as there was before the flood. Gods Holy Spirit will not always “strive” with man. The Holy Spirit does not strive with man in salvation or in His blessed work; He simply calls and we answer just as Paul did "...Lord, what wilt thou have me to do..." Acts 9:6. We know that the Holy Spirit deals with man in salvation because man could not be saved if the Holy Spirit did not save him. "And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father." Galatians 4:6 We are the sons of God because of Jesus Christ but we are saved because the Holy Spirit pricked our hearts and caused us to believe on the works of Jesus Christ. This is why Paul concluded that unless the Holy Spirit has pricked our hearts and caused us to believe that that we are not saved.  "...Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." Romans 8:9 there are a lot of people out there that have been sold a damaged bill of goods on the gospel because it is not simply a choice we make in life; we must be saved by God. This is why John concluded “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him..." John 6:44 and if you look up the word “draw” it means to drag because man will never decide to change what he is naturally no more than a dog can become a cat. The Holy Spirit also leads in obedience and service to God. Even after He has saved us He also continues to work in our hearts. We can no more choose to work for God no more than we can choose to be saved. Notice how the writer in Acts put it; “As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. (3.) And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away." Acts 13:2 – 3 it was the Holy Spirit that first sent them and then the church sent them out. The local church has no authority unless it comes first from the Holy Spirit. He also directs our everyday walk; “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” Galatians 5:16 if you are walking in the Holy Spirit then you cannot walk in sin. We see now how much the Holy Spirit plays a role in our life and without Him we would be lost in more ways that one. 

 

For Our Weekly  Meditation:

Full Reliance On God
"For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper" Ps. 72:12

   The needy cries; what else can he do? His cry is heard of God; what else need he do? Let the needy reader take to crying at once, for this will be his wisdom. Do not cry in the ears of friends, for even if they can help you it is only because the Lord enables them. The nearest way is to go straight to God, and let your cry come up before Him. Straightforward makes the best runner: run to the Lord, and not to secondary causes.

    "Alas!" you cry, "I have no friend or helper." So much the better; you can rely upon God in both capacities -- as without supplies and without helpers. Make your double need your double plea. Even for temporal mercies you may wait upon God, for He careth for His children in these temporary concerns. As for spiritual necessities, which are the heaviest of all, the Lord will hear your cry, and will deliver you and supply you.

    O poor friend, try your rich God. O helpless one, lean on His help. He has never failed me, and I am sure He will never fail you. Come as a beggar, and God will not refuse you help. Come with no plea but His grace. Jesus is King, will He let you perish of want? What! Did you forget this?

The above article was by Charles Spergeon, from his " Faith's Checkbook" Series

Church News:

The church will hold our next business meeting on June 10 at 4pm.

Dina Thomas will have surgery on the 29^th

The Grace of God By John Gill

Pardon of sin is according to the riches, fulness, and freeness of the grace of God, (Eph. 1:7) the promise of it in the covenant is free, absolute, and unconditional, (Heb. 8:12) the proclamation of it in the gospel, bore witness to by all the prophets, is the same, (Ex. 34:6; Acts 10:43, 13:38) the blood of Christ was shed freely for it; and though it cost him dear, it is all of free grace to sinners, without money and without price. Christ is exalted as a prince to “give” it; and God, for Christ’s sake, frankly forgives all trespasses, (Acts 5:31; Luke 7:41, 42; Col. 2:13) and it is vouchsafed to the worst and chief of sinners, (1 Tim. 1:13) and to great backsliders, ungrateful persons, guilty of sins of omission and commission, (Hosea 14:4; Isa. 43:22-25).