Sovereign Grace Missionary Baptist Church 1217 Dillon Texarkana, Texas 75501 December 23, 2012            Newsletter Number 397 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, 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, Ricky and Margaret McCoy, Brother David O’Neal, 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.

A Thought From Our Pastor: Tis’ The Christmas Season! “Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.” John 5:19  We come upon another year in which the world will celebrate the Christmas Season. When the trees are cut down and decorated, the mythical creatures are once again a substitute for God. Another season when parents will once again lie to their children about this God-like person known as Santa Claus. He lives in his magical kingdom where all the little elves make all the toys all year and then on Christmas Eve he will distribute all the toys to all the children around the world. This is fine for the world and if they choose this path then so be it. My wife and I celebrated Christmas for years but we have come to the conclusion that Christmas is not a Christian holiday. Now I know that some will disagree with me on this since Christmas is all about Christ; but is it? If we take a deep look at the Christmas holiday we will find it in no way could be of God nor related to Christ in any way. Let’s look at a few examples; it is full of lies, God is true and there is no lying in him, all lies comes from Satan; It is really not about the birth of Christ, is it, isn’t it more about Santa, reindeers,  toys, gifts; isn’t it more about “here comes Santa Claus” rather than “Joy to the world”, It is more about hurt and heartache than about joy and peace, people go into deep debt to buy things they cannot afford, people get hurt because they gave better gifts than they received, is this Gods way; no it isn’t and therefore it cannot be declared a Godly Holy Day. Now I’m not going to condemn those who celebrate it because we all do to a point. If you are alive Christmas affects you in some way. You get a paid holiday, a bonus at work, someone may give you a gift, family may get together, or Etc. Etc. However for some reason the folks that do not celebrate the Christmas Holiday are seen as bad and ugly people, but in the reality of it, they are right. See I like it as the “holiday season” more that the “Christmas Season” because I simply do not see it as a Christian Holiday, I just don’t see Christ in a season that is full of lies, deception, and so much hurt. Now please do not lump us (non Christmas supporters) in with the God haters who hate Christmas because it is suppose to be a Christian Holyday because we are not, you do not have to love a secular holiday to love God and Jesus Christ.   Jesus said “…but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.” In other words Jesus Christ was here not to do His own will but the will that the Father gave Him to do; and also to do it as His Father would. Now I must ask, would God celebrate Christmas as the world and most religion institutions would. I wonder this morning how many churches will have Santa Claus in their services, how many will sing songs like “Jingle Bells” and how many pastors will lie in some way celebrating a secular holiday.   Folks while Christmas affects us all in some way, lets not look at it for more than what it is; it is a secular holiday with very little joy and no peace. I will be going to visit my mother and family on Monday because holidays are the only time I get to see my mother and my family really only get together one time of the year. Many of folks will be travailing this holiday season and whether you like the season or not, please pray that we all get through it safely. If you wonder why our church does not celebrate the season, it is not because we are mean people, we just believe as a church we should not celebrate such holidays. May God bless you all is our prayer!!

For Our Weekly  Meditation: He Came; He Is Coming "This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven" Acts 1:11 Many are celebrating our Lord's first coming this day; let us turn our thoughts to the promise of His second coming. This is as sure as the first advent, and derives a great measure of its certainty from it. He who came as a lowly man to serve will assuredly come to take the reward of His service. He who came to suffer will not be slow in coming to reign. This is our glorious hope, for we shall share His joy. Today we are in our concealment and humiliation, even as He was while here below; but when He cometh it will be our manifestation, even as it will be His revelation. Dead saints shall live at His appearing. The slandered and despised shall shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Then shall the saints appear as kings and priests, and the days of their mourning shall be ended. The long rest and inconceivable splendor of the millennial reign will be an abundant recompense for the ages of witnessing and warring. Oh, that the Lord would come! He is coming! He is on the road and traveling quickly. The sound of His approach should be as music to our hearts! Ring out, ye bells of hope! By Charles H. Spergeon from his “Faith's Checkbook” series.

A Few Quotes . . . “It is a lost labor to seek to find Christianity among many churches.” “If we do not abide in prayer, we will abide in temptation. Let this be one aspect of our daily intercession: ‘God, preserve my soul, and keep my heart and all its ways so that I will not be entangled.’ When this is true in our lives, a passing temptation will not overcome us. We will remain free while others lie in bondage.” “It is not the distance of the earth from the sun, nor the sun’s withdrawing itself, that makes a dark and gloomy day; but the interposition of clouds and vaporous exhalations. Neither is thy soul beyond the reach of the promise, nor does God withdraw Himself; but the vapours of thy carnal, unbelieving heart do cloud thee.” By John Owen