Sovereign Grace Missionary BaptistChurch 1217 Dillon Texarkana, Texas 75501 September 30, 2012 Newsletter Number 385 Brother Randy Johnson, Pastor Brother Ronnie Henderson, Song Director Pastor E-Mail: pastor@sgmbaptist.com Web Site: www.sgmbaptist.com "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, Frank & Sonya Trusty, Frank & Dawana Reigel, Andrew Preston, Larry Mollette, Larry Mollette II & Family, Kerry Pennington, Kim Poole, Danny & Nita Mollette, Deloris Davis , Wendell Henderson, Judy Dunn, Martha Gray, Joshua Kidd, Matthew Kidd, Ronnie Henderson Jr. & Children, Ricky Henderson and Family, Jacie Henderson, Bro. & Mrs. Hammond, Charles, Don Hammond and Families, Archie & Barbara Griffin, Bro. & Sister Bob Keller, Mary Ramsey, Donna Johnson, Fay Johnson, James and Luann Reynolds, Timothy and Nathan Fails, Jacob Ramsey, Jerry Hughes, Sister Nita Bookout, Pastor G. L. Burr, Melody Carr, Janie Capps, Imajo Tracy, Linda Hughes, Roy Lemmon, Rosie Tomlin, Lee Mollette’s Daughter & Granddaughter Kristal, Dale Barnes – Kathy Johnson and their mother, Pat and Waymon Abercrombie, Barbara Brewer, Donna Jones, Frank Roberts, Dale and Linda Trahan, Linda Mollette– Shawn and girls, Ricky and Margaret McCoy, Brother David O’Neal, Robert, Brother Curtis Pugh, Brother Dan 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: Atonement: What Does It Mean? 2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (18.) And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; (19.) To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation." The English word “atonement” is mentioned in the New Testament only one time however the Greek word katallagē is mentioned four time; twice in Romans and twice in 2 Corinthians 5. katallagē means – to exchange that is, restoration to (the divine) favor. – The definition “restoration to (the divine) favor” means we are restored to the way God created man before the fall. It was after God had created man and woman on the sixth day that God not only said He was “pleased” but rather He was “very pleased”. Now that we know what the word “atonement” means lets look at how God “restores to (the divine) favor”. We find the actual word “atonement” in Romans 5:11 “And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.” Here we see that “atonement” or “restoring to (the divine) favor” is by Jesus Christ. This is the only way one can be atoned because only the blood of Jesus Christ can cleanse one from their sins; this make Him our atonement. The Jewish people just celebrated their holiday called “Rosh Hashanah” which is (to my understanding) their day of atonement. This is the day that they ask God to forgive their sins and to cleanse them. The only problem is that they have no Saviour; they have no redeemer as we have in Jesus Christ. However, as we look at the religions of the world we see no redeemer in any of them except in Christians (which is not a religion). What the Jewish people and other religions of the world need to consider is that God cannot just forgive sin. God has never just forgiven sin. There were in the Old Testament time sacrifices on alters but the last alter of sacrifice was the cross on Mt. Calvary where our redeemer paid a just price for all our sins and it is this just payment that God uses to count our sins as zero. God said "That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: (13.) But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ." Ephesians 2:12 – 13. If the Jewish people could just ask God for forgiveness and He was to grant it then God would be unjust Himself. The holiness and justice of God denies Him this ability. God is a God of law and when law is broken punishment must be delivered. The Holiness of God forbids such an oversight of sin and Justice demands vengeance or retribution for sin. Sometimes folks (especially those with little biblical knowledge) argue against limiting God but God is who He is. There are things God cannot do; He cannot lie, He cannot sin, He cannot go against His holiness, and etc. I believe to think that God could do any of these things is a sin in itself. A just and holy God demands laws to be obeyed or suffer the punishment for breaking them. There is a large difference between God just forgiving sin and God forgiving sin because a just payment was made by Christ Jesus. The Jewish people and other religious people believe that God will simply just forgive there sins; but if this was so then there would have been no need in Jesus Christ giving His life on the cross; and the scriptures conclude many times over that Jesus Christ died for our sins. Christ Jesus did not die in vain. "In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him." 1 John 4:9 We want to conclude with this fact. God accepted the blood of Jesus Christ as a just payment for our sins and this makes Him our redeemer and our Atonement to be restored to a sinless being. God declared “…Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. (8.) Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin." Romans 4:7 – 8. We are forgiven because our sins are covered.

For Our Weekly Meditation: The Need and Blessing of Church Attendance“And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works.” (Hebrews 10:24) 1.) You cannot have the proper consideration for your brothers and sisters in Christ, and be unfaithful to the church where they meet. 2.) You cannot provoke your brothers and sisters in Christ unto love, unless you are faithful to the church that Christ loved and died for. 3.) You cannot provoke good works unless your church work is good. When the super structure of your Christian life is flimsy, people will be suspicious of the foundation upon which it is built. The church is the pillar and ground of the truth. (I Timothy 3:15) “Love and good works” are the fruit of faithfulness to the Lord’s house, and apart from his path of obedience to Christ, love wanes and good works go wanting. Every part of the body is given to complement every other part of the body, and to become a hindrance rather than a help is to impair the efficiency of the whole body. The Lord’s church is His executive body on earth, and careless disregard of duty thereto creates an additional burden upon the already struggling brothers and sisters of the church. Every member is either a blessing or a burden to the church, and one sure way to be a blessing and have loving concern for our fellow pilgrims is to meet constantly with them at the Lord’s house. Then, shall the world around us know that we have been with one another, and that we all have been with Jesus. To habitually miss the services of the church is to abuse one of the greatest privileges we have, and it is to shirk in a shameful way our responsibility to Christ and His church which He so lovingly considered, worked and died for. Can we, or will we be so ungrateful as to reproach Him by failing to meet with Him and His faithful people at the appointed time? God forbid! “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” (Hebrews 10: 25) By Elder Oscar B. Mink this churches former Pastor and now with the Lord.

Notice: The next church business meeting will be on October 14 at 4pm. Please plan to attend. The next time change will be November 04, 2012 When Daylight savings time ends. Your clocks will fall back one hour.

Nota from Pastor Johnson:
Sorry; Some of you may not have noticed but the Jewish holiday for atonement
is Yom Kippur not Rosh Hashanah. Rosh Hashanah is their New Year when they
celebrate the creation of the world (as I understand it) sorry but
corrections have been made. These holidays are about a week apart and I just
looked at the wrong day.

Ascertain what kind of a Heaven a man desires

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(James Smith, "The Wondrous Love of Christ as Displayed in His Intercessory Prayer!" 1861)

"Father, I want those you have given Me to be with Me where I am, and to see My glory, the glory You have given Me because You loved Me before the creation of the world." John 17:24

Our eternal happiness will consist in our seeing, enjoying, and being like Christ. We have no conception of Heaven beyond this. We desire no Heaven but this.

May I but see my Savior in His glory,
may I but enjoy His presence and His love,
and may I but be like Him--and I have enough!
Anywhere with Christ--I shall be happy.
Anything with Christ--I shall enjoy.
Let me but be with my Savior--and I ask, I desire no more!

Ascertain what kind of a Heaven a man desires--and you will know what a man is. A sensualist will desire a sensual Heaven. Health, wealth, and freedom to enjoy himself--will satisfy a natural man.

Not so with the soul that is born again. He pants for the spiritual, the pure, the glorious. If, therefore, we sigh for holiness--if we desire above all things to see Jesus, be with Jesus, and be like Jesus--we are unquestionably among the number of those for whom He prayed; and we shall be with Him, where He is, to behold His glory.

O Savior, let me in solemn silence, muse on Your wondrous love, and adore Your glorious grace! O Jesus, it is my heart's desire that You should be with me--unfolding Your glory to me, and satisfying my soul with Your presence. O visit me, visit me daily; or rather, come and dwell with me, that I may fix and feast my eye and heart upon You evermore! I desire to be wholly taken up with You, until I am ravished with Your love!

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Spurgeon Quotes

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Superficial Religion Posted: 30 Sep 2012 01:00 AM PDT “Beware of superficial religion! I think if I might only say two things before I die, one out of the two would be—beware of surface godliness. Take care of the paint, the tinsel, the varnish, the oil! There must be in us a hungering and a thirsting after righteousness! There must be in us the broken heart and the contrite spirit.” C.H. Spurgeon

What Doth The LORD Require Of Thee?

From the Pastor: Dr. M. J. Seymour, Sr.

“…what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, To keep the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes,” (Deut. 10:12,13a)

The first issue at hand is whether or not the LORD is thy God. Many assume that this surely goes without question; however, if truth was unveiled we would discover that many have perched upon the mustard tree simply as an attempt to embezzle its fruit. God is not hands-off Master. He is sovereign over the lives of His children to their benefit. Genuine heavenly birth produces heavenly children passionate toward the Father’s bidding in sincere holy love. Before consideration to the latter of the passage the former must be settled.

Secondly, the subject is not what does the LORD request, petition, invite, or if found acceptable to those that are His. He “REQUIRES” in His autonomy over that which He has birthed absolute love and obedience. Some may presume this is a harsh thing, but to those born through the blood of the Lamb it is tender sweetness from heaven’s honeycomb of grace. It is blessed manna from the bosom of Father to possess a declaration with clear requirements of His purpose for one’s life. Heavenly children hear heavenly mercies in the word “require”. May God be pleased to permit us to hear those precious words “Thus saith the LORD God.”

The LORD demands from His purchased possessions absolute reverence, holy living, boundless love, faithfulness to duty, and determined obedience with fullness of heart and soul. Can he who has been purchased by the blood of God (Acts 20:28) desire anything less? Are we to limit our thanksgivings toward our Saviour to mere feeble gifts of human speculations? God has provided the means of acceptable thanksgivings. Have we not read: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, …” (Rom. 12:1)

The essential doctrines of the gospel

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(Charles Spurgeon)

The doctrines of . . .
original sin,
unconditional election,
definite atonement,
effectual calling, and
final perseverance,
are, I believe, the essential doctrines of the gospel of Jesus Christ--but we do not regard these five points as being barbed shafts which we are to thrust between the ribs of our fellow-Christians. We look upon them as being five great lamps which help to irradiate the cross; or, rather, five bright emanations springing from the glorious covenant of our Triune God, and illustrating the great doctrines of Jesus crucified!

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C.H. Spurgeon Quotes

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Sign Of Adoption Posted: 29 Sep 2012 01:00 AM PDT “It is a sign of adoption, a mark of the residence of the Spirit of God within us, if in our times of trouble we fly to our God! Soul, can you find any difficulty in doing so? Is this not one of your spiritual instincts? Then, be afraid lest you are an alien, and no true-born child, for the trueborn child seeks its Father’s face, cries out for its Father’s notice and creeps into its Father’s bosom!” C.H. Spurgeon

Spurgeon and Chambers

Morning, September 28

“The Lord looketh from heaven;

he beholdeth all the sons of men.”

Psalm 33:13

Charles Spurgeon
Perhaps no figure of speech represents God in a more gracious light than when he is spoken of as stooping from his throne, and coming down from heaven to attend to the wants and to behold the woes of mankind. We love him, who, when Sodom and Gomorrah were full of iniquity, would not destroy those cities until he had made a personal visitation of them. We cannot help pouring out our heart in affection for our Lord who inclines his ear from the highest glory, and puts it to the lip of the dying sinner, whose failing heart longs after reconciliation. How can we but love him when we know that he numbers the very hairs of our heads, marks our path, and orders our ways? Specially is this great truth brought near to our heart, when we recollect how attentive he is, not merely to the temporal interests of his creatures, but to their spiritual concerns. Though leagues of distance lie between the finite creature and the infinite Creator, yet there are links uniting both. When a tear is wept by thee, think not that God doth not behold; for, “Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.” Thy sigh is able to move the heart of Jehovah; thy whisper can incline his ear unto thee; thy prayer can stay his hand; thy faith can move his arm. Think not that God sits on high taking no account of thee. Remember that however poor and needy thou art, yet the Lord thinketh upon thee. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect towards him.

Oh! then repeat the truth that never tires;
No God is like the God my soul desires;
He at whose voice heaven trembles, even he,
Great as he is, knows how to stoop to me.

My Utmost for His Highest

September 28th

The “go” of unconditional identification

One thing thou lackest.… come, take up the cross, and follow Me. Mark 10:21

Oswald Chambers
The rich young ruler had the master passion to be perfect. When he saw Jesus Christ, he wanted to be like Him. Our Lord never puts personal holiness to the fore when He calls a disciple; He puts absolute annihilation of my right to myself and identification with Himself—a relationship with Himself in which there is no other relationship. Luke 14:26 has nothing to do with salvation or sanctification, but with unconditional identification with Jesus Christ. Very few of us know the absolute “go” of abandonment to Jesus.
“Then Jesus beholding him loved him.” The look of Jesus will mean a heart broken for ever from allegiance to any other person or thing. Has Jesus ever looked at you? The look of Jesus transforms and transfixes. Where you are ‘soft’ with God is where the Lord has looked at you. If you are hard and vindictive, insistent on your own way, certain that the other person is more likely to be in the wrong than you are, it is an indication that there are whole tracts of your nature that have never been transformed by His gaze.
“One thing thou lackest …” The only ‘good thing’ from Jesus Christ’s point of view is union with Himself and nothing in between.
“Sell whatsoever thou hast …” I must reduce myself until I am a mere conscious man, I must fundamentally renounce possessions of all kinds, not to save my soul, (only one thing saves a man—absolute reliance upon Jesus Christ) but in order to follow Jesus. “Come, and follow Me.” And the road is the way He went.

Evening, September 28

“Go again seven times.”

1 Kings 18:43

Charles Spurgeon
Success is certain when the Lord has promised it. Although you may have pleaded month after month without evidence of answer, it is not possible that the Lord should be deaf when his people are earnest in a matter which concerns his glory. The prophet on the top of Carmel continued to wrestle with God, and never for a moment gave way to a fear that he should be non-suited in Jehovah’s courts. Six times the servant returned, but on each occasion no word was spoken but “Go again.” We must not dream of unbelief, but hold to our faith even to seventy times seven. Faith sends expectant hope to look from Carmel’s brow, and if nothing is beheld, she sends again and again. So far from being crushed by repeated disappointment, faith is animated to plead more fervently with her God. She is humbled, but not abashed: her groans are deeper, and her sighings more vehement, but she never relaxes her hold or stays her hand. It would be more agreeable to flesh and blood to have a speedy answer, but believing souls have learned to be submissive, and to find it good to wait for as well as upon the Lord. Delayed answers often set the heart searching itself, and so lead to contrition and spiritual reformation: deadly blows are thus struck at our corruption, and the chambers of imagery are cleansed. The great danger is lest men should faint, and miss the blessing. Reader, do not fall into that sin, but continue in prayer and watching. At last the little cloud was seen, the sure forerunner of torrents of rain, and even so with you, the token for good shall surely be given, and you shall rise as a prevailing prince to enjoy the mercy you have sought. Elijah was a man of like passions with us: his power with God did not lie in his own merits. If his believing prayer availed so much, why not yours? Plead the precious blood with unceasing importunity, and it shall be with you according to your desire.

C.H. Spurgeon Quotes

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Give Your Children A Blessing Posted: 28 Sep 2012 01:00 AM PDT “Brothers and Sisters, if you wish to give your children a blessing when you die, be a blessing to them while you live! If you would make your last words worth the hearing, let your whole life be worth the seeing. It is graceful to die blessing, but let it be always consistent with the blessedness of our former life.” C.H. Spurgeon

We have expected too much from 'the creature'

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(Octavius Winslow, "The Lord's Prayer" 1866)

"Stop trusting in man, who has but a breath in his nostrils. Of what account is he?" Isaiah 2:22

We have expected too much from 'the creature', more than any creature could possibly give.

Who has not, in some instances, found . . .
their love fickle,
their promises capricious,
their opinions harsh, and
their judgment fallible?

We reposed a while beneath our pleasant gourd--and in a night it perished.

We nursed our bosom flower--and in an hour it died.

We leaned upon the strong and beautiful staff--and in a moment it broke.

We came to the crystal stream that had so often refreshed us--and, lo! it was dried up!

Alas, we drained the sponge of creature good of all its sweets, and it became at last aridness itself!

"My soul will rejoice in the LORD and delight in his salvation." Psalm 35:9

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C.H. Spurgeon Quotes

Listening To Our Cry Posted: 27 Sep 2012 01:00 AM PDT “May we not draw some comfort from the thought that our prayers never are intrusions? Whenever we go before God in deep distress, He is always ready to listen to our cry. Whatever grand purpose or momentous project engage His mind, He will surely be attentive to the longings of His needy suppliants.” C.H. Spurgeon

Love flowing out in little gentlenesses

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(J.R. Miller, "Daily Bible Readings in the Life of Christ" 1890)

"I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in My name because you belong to Christ--will certainly not lose his reward!" Mark 9:41

It seems indeed astonishing--that God should keep note of such a little thing, as the giving of a cup of water to a thirsty Christian. It shows how dear to Him His people are--since the smallest things done to one of them--He accepts, remembers, and rewards.

The mention here of the giving of a cup of water suggests that this promise is for little, commonplace acts--rather than for great showy deeds. We are too stingy with our helpfulness. God has put His gifts of love into our hearts--not to be kept locked up and useless--but to be given out.
We would call a man selfish--who would refuse a cup of water to one who was thirsty; yet many of us do this continually. It is the heart which 'thirsts'--and the 'water' we refuse to give, is human kindness.

Kindness is just the word for these small acts. Kindness is simply love flowing out in little gentlenesses. We ought to live our lives--so that they will be perpetual blessings wherever we go. All that we need for such a ministry--is a heart full of love for Christ; for if we truly love Christ--we shall also love our fellow-men; and love will always find ways of helping. A heart filled with gentleness--cannot be miserly of its blessings.

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Spurgeon and Chambers

Morning, September 26

“The myrtle trees that were in the bottom.”

Zechariah 1:8

Charles Spurgeon
The vision in this chapter describes the condition of Israel in Zechariah’s day; but being interpreted in its aspect towards us, it describes the Church of God as we find it now in the world. The Church is compared to a myrtle grove flourishing in a valley. It is hidden, unobserved, secreted; courting no honour and attracting no observation from the careless gazer. The Church, like her head, has a glory, but it is concealed from carnal eyes, for the time of her breaking forth in all her splendour is not yet come. The idea of tranquil security is also suggested to us: for the myrtle grove in the valley is still and calm, while the storm sweeps over the mountain summits. Tempests spend their force upon the craggy peaks of the Alps, but down yonder where flows the stream which maketh glad the city of our God, the myrtles flourish by the still waters, all unshaken by the impetuous wind. How great is the inward tranquility of God’s Church! Even when opposed and persecuted, she has a peace which the world gives not, and which, therefore, it cannot take away: the peace of God which passeth all understanding keeps the hearts and minds of God’s people. Does not the metaphor forcibly picture the peaceful, perpetual growth of the saints? The myrtle sheds not her leaves, she is always green; and the Church in her worst time still hath a blessed verdure of grace about her; nay, she has sometimes exhibited most verdure when her winter has been sharpest. She has prospered most when her adversities have been most severe. Hence the text hints at victory. The myrtle is the emblem of peace, and a significant token of triumph. The brows of conquerors were bound with myrtle and with laurel; and is not the Church ever victorious? Is not every Christian more than a conqueror through him that loved him? Living in peace, do not the saints fall asleep in the arms of victory?

My Utmost for His Highest

September 26th

The unblameable attitude

If … thou rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee … Matthew 5:23

Oswald Chambers
If when you come to the altar, there you remember that your brother has anything against you, not—If you rake up something by a morbid sensitiveness, but—“If thou rememberest,” that is, it is brought to your conscious mind by the Spirit of God: “first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.” Never object to the intense sensitiveness of the Spirit of God in you when He is educating you down to the scruple.
“First be reconciled to thy brother …” Our Lord’s direction is simple—“first be reconciled.” Go back the way you came, go the way indicated to you by the conviction given at the altar; have an attitude of mind and a temper of soul to the one who has something against you that makes reconciliation as natural as breathing. Jesus does not mention the other person, He says—you go. There is no question of your rights. The stamp of the saint is that he can waive his own rights and obey the Lord Jesus.
“And then come and offer thy gift.” The process is clearly marked. First, the heroic spirit of self-sacrifice, then the sudden checking by the sensitiveness of the Holy Spirit, and the stoppage at the point of conviction; then the way of obedience to the word of God, constructing an unblameable attitude of mind and temper to the one with whom you have been in the wrong; then the glad, simple, unhindered offering of your gift to God.

Evening, September 26

“Howl, fir tree, for the cedar is fallen.”

Zechariah 11:2

Charles Spurgeon
When in the forest there is heard the crash of a falling oak, it is a sign that the woodman is abroad, and every tree in the whole company may tremble lest to-morrow the sharp edge of the axe should find it out. We are all like trees marked for the axe, and the fall of one should remind us that for every one, whether great as the cedar, or humble as the fir, the appointed hour is stealing on apace. I trust we do not, by often hearing of death, become callous to it. May we never be like the birds in the steeple, which build their nests when the bells are tolling, and sleep quietly when the solemn funeral peals are startling the air. May we regard death as the most weighty of all events, and be sobered by its approach. It ill behoves us to sport while our eternal destiny hangs on a thread. The sword is out of its scabbard—let us not trifle; it is furbished, and the edge is sharp—let us not play with it. He who does not prepare for death is more than an ordinary fool, he is a madman. When the voice of God is heard among the trees of the garden, let fig tree and sycamore, and elm and cedar, alike hear the sound thereof.

Be ready, servant of Christ, for thy Master comes on a sudden, when an ungodly world least expects him. See to it that thou be faithful in his work, for the grave shall soon be digged for thee. Be ready, parents, see that your children are brought up in the fear of God, for they must soon be orphans; be ready, men of business, take care that your affairs are correct, and that you serve God with all your hearts, for the days of your terrestrial service will soon be ended, and you will be called to give account for the deeds done in the body, whether they be good or whether they be evil. May we all prepare for the tribunal of the great King with a care which shall be rewarded with the gracious commendation, “Well done, good and faithful servant”

Spurgeon and Chambers

Morning, September 25

“Just, and the justifier of him which believeth.”

Romans 3:26

Charles Spurgeon
Being justified by faith, we have peace with God. Conscience accuses no longer. Judgment now decides for the sinner instead of against him. Memory looks back upon past sins, with deep sorrow for the sin, but yet with no dread of any penalty to come; for Christ has paid the debt of his people to the last jot and tittle, and received the divine receipt; and unless God can be so unjust as to demand double payment for one debt, no soul for whom Jesus died as a substitute can ever be cast into hell. It seems to be one of the very principles of our enlightened nature to believe that God is just; we feel that it must be so, and this gives us our terror at first; but is it not marvellous that this very same belief that God is just, becomes afterwards the pillar of our confidence and peace! If God be just, I, a sinner, alone and without a substitute, must be punished; but Jesus stands in my stead and is punished for me; and now, if God be just, I, a sinner, standing in Christ, can never be punished. God must change his nature before one soul, for whom Jesus was a substitute, can ever by any possibility suffer the lash of the law. Therefore, Jesus having taken the place of the believer—having rendered a full equivalent to divine wrath for all that his people ought to have suffered as the result of sin, the believer can shout with glorious triumph, “Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect?” Not God, for he hath justified; not Christ, for he hath died, “yea rather hath risen again.” My hope lives not because I am not a sinner, but because I am a sinner for whom Christ died; my trust is not that I am holy, but that being unholy, he is my righteousness. My faith rests not upon what I am, or shall be, or feel, or know, but in what Christ is, in what he has done, and in what he is now doing for me. On the lion of justice the fair maid of hope rides like a queen.

September 25th

The “go” of relationship

And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Matthew 5:41

Oswald Chambers
The summing up of Our Lord’s teaching is that the relationship which He demands is an impossible one unless He has done a supernatural work in us. Jesus Christ demands that there be not the slightest trace of resentment even suppressed in the head of a disciple when he meets with tyranny and injustice. No enthusiasm will ever stand the strain that Jesus Christ will put upon His worker, only one thing will, and that is a personal relationship to Himself which has gone through the mill of His spring-cleaning until there is only one purpose left—‘I am here for God to send me where He will.’ Every other thing may get fogged, but this relationship to Jesus Christ must never be.
The Sermon on the Mount is not an ideal, it is a statement of what will happen in me when Jesus Christ has altered my disposition and put in a disposition like His own. Jesus Christ is the only One Who can fulfil the Sermon on the Mount.
If we are to be disciples of Jesus, we must be made disciples supernaturally; as long as we have the dead-set purpose of being disciples we may be sure we are not. “I have chosen you.” That is the way the grace of God begins. It is a constraint we cannot get away from; we can disobey it, but we cannot generate it. The drawing is done by the supernatural grace of God, and we never can trace where His work begins. Our Lord’s making of a disciple is supernatural. He does not build on any natural capacity at all. God does not ask us to do the things that are easy to us naturally; He only asks us to do the things we are perfectly fitted to do by His grace, and the cross will come along that line always.

Evening, September 25

“Who of God is made unto us wisdom.”

1 Corinthians 1:30

Charles Spurgeon
Man’s intellect seeks after rest, and by nature seeks it apart from the Lord Jesus Christ. Men of education are apt, even when converted, to look upon the simplicities of the cross of Christ with an eye too little reverent and loving. They are snared in the old net in which the Grecians were taken, and have a hankering to mix philosophy with revelation. The temptation with a man of refined thought and high education is to depart from the simple truth of Christ crucified, and to invent, as the term is, a more intellectual doctrine. This led the early Christian churches into Gnosticism, and bewitched them with all sorts of heresies. This is the root of Neology, and the other fine things which in days gone by were so fashionable in Germany, and are now so ensnaring to certain classes of divines. Whoever you are, good reader, and whatever your education may be, if you be the Lord’s, be assured you will find no rest in philosophizing divinity. You may receive this dogma of one great thinker, or that dream of another profound reasoner, but what the chaff is to the wheat, that will these be to the pure word of God. All that reason, when best guided, can find out is but the A B C of truth, and even that lacks certainty, while in Christ Jesus there is treasured up all the fulness of wisdom and knowledge. All attempts on the part of Christians to be content with systems such as Unitarian and Broad-church thinkers would approve of, must fail; true heirs of heaven must come back to the grandly simple reality which makes the ploughboy’s eye flash with joy, and gladens the pious pauper’s heart—“Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.” Jesus satisfies the most elevated intellect when he is believingly received, but apart from him the mind of the regenerate discovers no rest. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” “A good understanding have all they that do his commandments.”

C.H. Spurgeon Quotes

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Blessed Are The Persecuted. Posted: 26 Sep 2012 01:00 AM PDT “Blessed are they to whom it shall be given to enlist under the banner of Christ at this present time, who shall not be ashamed to confess Him before the sons of men, or to boldly take up His Cross and to suffer such loss and persecution as it may please His Providence to ordain for them to bear.” C.H. Spurgeon

This perfect pattern

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(Thomas Brooks, "The Privy Key of Heaven" 1665)

"He who says he abides in Him, ought himself also
to walk even as He walked." 1 John 2:6

Oh that this blessed Scripture might always lie warm
upon our hearts. A Christian's whole life should be
nothing but a visible representation of Christ. It is not
only our liberty--but our duty and glory, to follow Christ
inviolably in all His moral virtues. Other patterns are
imperfect and defective--but Christ is a perfect pattern!
Of all His children, they are the happiest, who come
nearest to this perfect pattern.

"Leaving you an example, that you should follow
in His steps." 1 Peter 2:21

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Spurgeon and Chambers

Morning, September 24

“For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him.”

Ezra 8:22

Charles Spurgeon
A convoy on many accounts would have been desirable for the pilgrim band, but a holy shame-facedness would not allow Ezra to seek one. He feared lest the heathen king should think his professions of faith in God to be mere hypocrisy, or imagine that the God of Israel was not able to preserve his own worshippers. He could not bring his mind to lean on an arm of flesh in a matter so evidently of the Lord, and therefore the caravan set out with no visible protection, guarded by him who is the sword and shield of his people. It is to be feared that few believers feel this holy jealousy for God; even those who in a measure walk by faith, occasionally mar the lustre of their life by craving aid from man. It is a most blessed thing to have no props and no buttresses, but to stand upright on the Rock of Ages, upheld by the Lord alone. Would any believers seek state endowments for their Church, if they remembered that the Lord is dishonoured by their asking Caesar’s aid? as if the Lord could not supply the needs of his own cause! Should we run so hastily to friends and relations for assistance, if we remembered that the Lord is magnified by our implicit reliance upon his solitary arm? My soul, wait thou only upon God. “But,” says one, “are not means to be used?” Assuredly they are; but our fault seldom lies in their neglect: far more frequently it springs out of foolishly believing in them instead of believing in God. Few run too far in neglecting the creature’s arm; but very many sin greatly in making too much of it. Learn, dear reader, to glorify the Lord by leaving means untried, if by using them thou wouldst dishonour the name of the Lord.

My Utmost for His Highest

September 24th

The “go” of preparation

Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there thou rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. Matthew 5:23, 24

Oswald Chambers
It is easy to imagine that we shall get to a place where we are complete and ready, but preparation is not suddenly accomplished, it is a process steadily maintained. It is dangerous to get into a settled state of experience. It is preparation and preparation.
The sense of sacrifice appeals readily to a young Christian. Humanly speaking, the one thing that attracts to Jesus Christ is our sense of the heroic, and the scrutiny of Our Lord’s words suddenly brings this tide of enthusiasm to the test. “First be reconciled to thy brother.” The “go” of preparation is to let the word of God scrutinize. The sense of heroic sacrifice is not good enough. The thing the Holy Spirit is detecting in you is the disposition that will never work in His service. No one but God can detect that disposition in you. Have you anything to hide from God? If you have, then let God search you with His light. If there is sin, confess it, not admit it. Are you willing to obey your Lord and Master, whatever the humiliation to your right to yourself may be?
Never discard a conviction. If it is important enough for the Spirit of God to have brought it to your mind, it is that thing He is detecting. You were looking for a great thing to give up. God is telling you of some tiny thing; but at the back of it there lies the central citadel of obstinacy: ‘I will not give up my right to myself’—the thing God intends you to give up if ever you are going to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.

Evening, September 24

“I sleep, but my heart waketh.”

Song of Solomon 5:2

Charles Spurgeon
Paradoxes abound in Christian experience, and here is one—the spouse was asleep, and yet she was awake. He only can read the believer’s riddle who has ploughed with the heifer of his experience. The two points in this evening’s text are—a mournful sleepiness and a hopeful wakefulness. I sleep. Through sin that dwelleth in us we may become lax in holy duties, slothful in religious exercises, dull in spiritual joys, and altogether supine and careless. This is a shameful state for one in whom the quickening Spirit dwells; and it is dangerous to the highest degree. Even wise virgins sometimes slumber, but it is high time for all to shake off the bands of sloth. It is to be feared that many believers lose their strength as Samson lost his locks, while sleeping on the lap of carnal security. With a perishing world around us, to sleep is cruel; with eternity so near at hand, it is madness. Yet we are none of us so much awake as we should be; a few thunder-claps would do us all good, and it may be, unless we soon bestir ourselves, we shall have them in the form of war, or pestilence, or personal bereavements and losses. O that we may leave for ever the couch of fleshly ease, and go forth with flaming torches to meet the coming Bridegroom! My heart waketh. This is a happy sign. Life is not extinct, though sadly smothered. When our renewed heart struggles against our natural heaviness, we should be grateful to sovereign grace for keeping a little vitality within the body of this death. Jesus will hear our hearts, will help our hearts, will visit our hearts; for the voice of the wakeful heart is really the voice of our Beloved, saying, “Open to me.” Holy zeal will surely unbar the door.

“Oh lovely attitude! He stands
With melting heart and laden hands;
My soul forsakes her every sin;
And lets the heavenly stranger in.”

The great object of life!

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(John Angell James, "Hindrances to Earnestness in Piety" 1847)

The great object of life to many professing Christians, seems to be to become rich. Their chief end does not appear to be so much to glorify God, and enjoy Him forever--as to obtain and enjoy the present world! Wealth is the center of their wishes--the invariable tendency of their desires. Jehovah is the God of their creed--but Mammon is the God of their hearts! They are devout adorers of the God of wealth.

"But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." 1 Timothy 6:9-10

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C.H. Spurgeon Quotes

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Your Master Will Find Sheep Posted: 25 Sep 2012 01:00 AM PDT “Cheer up! Be of good courage, preacher of the Word. You may not find the sheep, but your Master will! Take heart, you that wait upon the Lord in prayer—you may see some of your agencies fail and success may not wait upon all your efforts, but God’s purposes must stand—He will do all His pleasure and at the last it shall be seen that not a single sheep was left for want of being sought out.” C.H. Spurgeon

C.H. Spurgeon Quotes

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Business Is Rotten Posted: 24 Sep 2012 01:00 AM PDT “Business is rotten through and through, nowadays. The whole style of conducting your merchandise is so doubly dyed in deceit, that I should not marvel if a Christian often finds himself a loser by doing the right thing and maintaining a strict integrity! But we must sooner be losers in this way than lose our acceptance with God!” C.H. Spurgeon

Live at the feet of Jesus

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(James Smith, "The Pastor's Morning Visit")
"And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to His teaching."

"But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part" Luke 10:39, 42

Let not the many trifles of time affect, distract, and bewilder you; but let the one thing needful be the constant object of pursuit and desire.

Live at the feet of Jesus--and you are safe.

Seek, above all things, to enjoy Jesus--and you will be happy.

Aim in all things to glorify Jesus--and you will be holy.

Look daily for the coming of Jesus--and you will be consistent.

Seek to . . .
know Him,
love Him,
believe Him,
obey Him, and
enjoy Him!

O Jesus! manifest Yourself to me; draw me to Your feet, and keep me there!

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Sovereign Grace Missionary BaptistChurch 1217 Dillon Texarkana, Texas 75501 September 23, 2012 Newsletter Number 384 Brother Randy Johnson, Pastor Brother Ronnie Henderson, Song Director Pastor E-Mail: pastor@sgmbaptist.com Web Site: www.sgmbaptist.com "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, Frank & Sonya Trusty, Frank & Dawana Reigel, Andrew Preston, Larry Mollette, Larry Mollette II & Family, Kerry Pennington, Kim Poole, Danny & Nita Mollette, Deloris Davis and family, Wendell Henderson, Judy Dunn, Martha Gray, Joshua Kidd, Matthew Kidd, Dina McCray, Ronnie Henderson Jr. & Children, Ricky Henderson and Family, Jacie Henderson, Bro. & Mrs. Hammond, Charles Hammond, Archie & Barbara Griffin, Bro. & Sister Bob Keller, Mary Ramsey, Donna Johnson, Fay Johnson, James and Luann Reynolds, Timothy and Nathan Fails, Jacob Ramsey, Jerry Hughes, Sister Nita Bookout, Pastor G. L. Burr, Melody Carr, Janie Capps, Imajo Tracy, Linda Hughes, Roy Lemmon, Rosie Tomlin, Lee Mollette’s Daughter & Granddaughter Kristal, Dale Barnes – Kathy Johnson and their mother, Pat and Waymon Abercrombie, Barbara Brewer, Donna Jones, Frank Roberts, Dale and Linda Trahan, Linda Mollette – Shawn and girls, Ricky and Margaret McCoy, Robert, Brother Curtis Pugh, Brother Dan Sullivan and the work inThailand, Brother Raul and the work in Romania, and Bro. Sergey Mochalov and the Churches in Russia.

The Pastors Corner: Do It In Secret. Matthew 6:3 - 4 "But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: (4.) That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly." We want to look today at doing something in secret; and no we are not talking about sinful acts. We are talking about “alms” or compassionate acts or acts of generosity or etc. Have you ever noticed that people and a lot of “Christians” have few secret acts of generosity about them. If you watch so many today they want everyone to see them drop money in the plate at church or they will make sure everyone knows what they did because they want to be known for their acts of kindness. There is simply too much of this in our society and a way too much among those that call themselves Christians. I will confess and smile when I say in our church this is not an issue. We have some good gracious folks that simply want to beautify God house or help financially or do acts of graciousness in other areas and desire that no one ever knows. I remember back several years when the churches fund got so low that there was not enough to pay the Pastors salary; and someone graciously contributed enough to pay that and leave a little in the church fund. Now, if the church could not pay the Pastor that would have been absolutely fine; but due to these gracious folks or person I received my paid in full. Now as low as the church fund was at the time I told the church not to worry about it the Lord will supply and He did; however as mush as I wanted to return the check, how could I. What a blessing this person or persons must have received from God! Now as close as Brother Mollette and I am; I never asked who it was and he never told me. So as small as our church was at the time I still today several years later have no idea who it was; but God does, and He will be the rewarder of those that did it. I used this as an example because this is absolutely the proper way acts of graciousness should be done. And may I add even several years later your act of kindness has not gone unremembered by this Pastor; nor has it by God. The Lord says not to let your right hand know what you left hand does because some things beloved is simply between you and the Lord. The Lord also says “…thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly." Two very important details here: (a.) God sees everything and (b.) God knows everything; therefore He never forgets anything except for the sins covered by the blood of Jesus. When you do alms for the Lord then they are for the Lord and therefore your Pastor and others in the church never need to know; because would you rather be rewarded by man or God? Psalmist said “Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.” Psalms 139:12 Beloved it is also so with prayer; we do not need to speak to be heard and we certainly do not need to speak to be heard of man. Matthew 6:6 "But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly." Notice very carefully that both of theses acts; the gracious giving and the gracious prayer both will be manifested by God and opened for all to see and beloved that will be a wonderful revealing. Luke 8:17 “For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.” Therefore beloved “do it in secret” and if God wants it made known He will make it known. It may be like to the person or persons that gave above and beyond to make sure this Pastor received his pay; it may not be made known until we are in heaven and God openly rewards them.

For Our Weekly Meditation: Perfect Willingness"Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power" Ps. 110:3 Blessed be the God of grace that it is so! He has a people whom He has chosen from of old to be His peculiar portion. These by nature have wills as stubborn as the rest of the froward sons of Adam; but when the day of His power comes, and grace displays its omnipotence, they become willing to repent, and to believe in Jesus. None are saved unwillingly, but the will is made sweetly to yield itself. What a wondrous power is this, which never violates the will, and yet rules it! God does not break the lock, but He opens it by a master-key which He alone can handle.Now are we willing to be, to do, or to suffer as the Lord wills. If at any time we grow rebellious He has but to come to us with power, and straightway we run in the way of His commands with all our hearts. May this be a day of power with me as to some noble effort for the glory of God and the good of my fellow-men! Lord, I am willing; may I not hope that this is a day of thy power? I am wholly at thy disposal; willing, yea, eager, to be used of thee for thy holy purposes. O Lord, let me not have to cry, "To will is present with me, but how to perform that which I would, I find not"; but give me power as thou givest me will. By Charles Spurgeon from his "Faith's Checkbook" series.

Notice: The next church business meeting will be on October 7 at 4pm. Please plan to attend. The next time change will be November 04, 2012 When Daylight savings time ends. Your clocks will fall back one hour.

Could you be so selfish — and so cruel? By G. Whyte, 1888 "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain!" Revelation 21:3-4 Would you call them back to earth again? Would you wish them back — back from the presence of the Lamb? Back from the sweets of glory — to the bitterness of time? Back from those rivers of pure pleasure which flow at God's right hand — to the muddied streams in this valley of sorrow? After they have reached the haven of rest — would you recall them to struggle again with the storms of life? Could you be so selfish — and so cruel? "They feast on the abundance of Your house; you give them drink from Your river of delights!" Psalm 36:8