Sovereign Grace Missionary Baptist Church
1217 Dillon Texarkana, Texas 75501
June 23, 2013          
 Newsletter Number 421

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, Junior Baldridge, Frankie Baldridge and daughter, Buckie Thompson, Frank & Sonya Trusty, Frank & Dawana Reigel, Andrew Preston, Larry & Martha Mollette, Larry Mollette II & Family, Kerry Pennington, Kim Poole, Danny & Nita Mollette, Robert Riggs, Wendell Henderson, Judy Dunn, Martha Gray, Joshua Kidd, Matthew Kidd, Ronnie Henderson Jr. & Children, Ricky Henderson and Family, Jacie Henderson, Velma 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, Teresa Bookout, Pastor G. L. Burr, Melody Carr, Janie Capps, Imajo Tracy, Linda Hughes, Roy Lemmon, Rosie Tomlin, Lee Mollette’s Daughter & Granddaughter Kristal, Pat Abercrombie, Barbara Brewer, Donna Jones, Dale and Linda Trahan, Ricky and Margaret McCoy, Brother David O’Neal, Tommy Walker and family, Dina Thomas, Brother Kelley and Sister Hinson, Brother Steve McCool and the work in Canada, 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:

The Father’s Love.
1 John 3:1 “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.”

Oh! What love, the Father hath bestowed on us. What a marvelously thought in three blessed words, love, Father, and bestowed. I think the thought of these three words I could write volumes of books. This is why, John started this verse with the word “behold” which means - to see or to know – that is to see the marvelous and wonderful love of God, a love that only God has. It took a special, one of a kind love for God to love sinners like us. Lets test our love in the flesh; God said “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;” Matthew 5:44 are we capable in the flesh, without the blessings of God to do this? No! We are not. We may act as though we do but we do not. In this flesh we cannot even love God much less each other, or our enemies. I know what people believe, they believe they love God but I must ask how a lost person can ever love God. If they say that they do then they call God a liar. "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: (11.) There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God." Romans 3:10 – 11 Paul also told us in Romans 8:7 “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” In fact the only way one can even love God is that the enmity against God be slain. Ephesians 2:15 "Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;" Abolishing the enmity and making peace with God only comes as a result of Gods grace or Gods glorious gift of salvation to us. I know there are some who believe they are saved because they chose Christ, they chose to turn over a new leaf, but I am here to say that is impossible. If those people are right then the three words spoken of here are worthless. If you are the potter of your own salvation (that is the maker of it) then God has done nothing. But please pay close attention to what God has just said thorough John, “…what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God…” The love that the Father has bestowed on us is the ability to call Him Father. The love is the love He bestowed on us, that is the love He has given to us, not to all mankind but to those He chose to give it too. That love gives us the ability to call Him Father. Jesus Christ is that love; his birth, his death, His resurrection, His ascension into heaven, His seat next to God is all that love. This is love that God sent His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to surrender His life for our sins. This love gift is what gives us the ability to call him Father. Thirdly, “…that we should be called the sons of God…” We have no right as enemies of God in the flesh to call Him Father. We are blessed with this by the same love that delivered Jesus Christ to the cross. Oh! How blessed we are if we are saved from eternal damnation and truly able to call Him Father.

This is why the world hates us and hates God. The fact that God is sovereign and saves sinners of His own choosing, and not by our choosing, the fact that He is the potter and we are simply the clay. The fact that they cannot love a God that hates things that are politically incorrect in this world. They hate the fact that God is not irrelevant and insignificant as they want Him to be. They hate the fact that they may not be included in the election of God and they might reside in hell for all eternity no matter what they do. God has bestowed his love on a remnant of people and the only way to know if you are included is to believe that Jesus Christ is your Saviour. Thank you Father for your blessed love!   

For Our Weekly  Meditation:

Why Is The Lord’s House Forsaken?
“Then contended I with the rulers, and said, Why is the house of God forsaken?  And I gathered them together, and set them in their place.” (Neh. 13:11)  “…the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.” (Acts 20:28b)

The text of Nehemiah is in response to the deplorable condition at the Temple Mount.  The Israelites had neglected the assembly, the sacrifices, the offerings, and the care of the priesthood.  This abandonment forced the priesthood to leave off the work of God that they might provide for their own families.  The spirituality of Israel had been relegated down to mere lip service.  Israel boasted of being God’s people, but the brag was as empty as their hearts were. 

Sadly, our generation is also experiencing the great abandonment of the houses of worship for the love of the world.  Preachers are leaving the ministry in large numbers that they might adequately provide for their families, just as the Levities did.  The chief question at hand is, “Why is the house of God forsaken?”  There are many self-rationalizing excuses that are used to sooth one’s conscience.  Israel had gone the same way, finding worldly appeasements more suitable to their fleshly lusts.  Baseless excuses!  Simply, one forsakes the house of God because his heart has already forsaken God and cares nothing for the will of God. 

Holy Writ instructs us: “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.” (Heb. 10:25)  Abandoning the Lord’s local assembling of the saints at His designated location is a gross sin in the eyes of God.  Has not the church (not the building) been purchased by the blood of God?  Shall we then neglect the blood of God and the body of Jesus? 

Forsaking the house of God is the product of ungodliness and sinful hearts.  We are told: “Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end.” (Eph. 3:21)

By Dr. M. J. Seymour, Sr.

Happy Birthday

Brother Larry Mollette Sunday June 23^rd

Pastor Randy Johnson Thursday June 27^th