Sovereign Grace Missionary Baptist Church

1217 Dillon Texarkana, Texas 75501
July 07, 2013          
 Newsletter Number 423

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:

Chosen!
Ephesians 1:3 - 4 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: (4.) According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:"

Oh! What a true blessing it is to be a child of the living God. What a blessing it is to have been so loved of God that He sent His only beloved Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to die for my sins. What a blessing it is to be chosen of God to be His very own child. There are so many things that I and those like me have to truly thank God for that we will never complete that task. I stand this day in a world of hatred and sinfulness thanking God that I am different. Paul said that God hath blessed us; and indeed my dear brother in Christ was so right. Blessed because before the foundation of the world God hath chosen me and millions of others like me to be His children. “…According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world…” before the world was ever created God elected a remnant or the worlds population to be set aside (sanctified) for His own glory and purpose. We may not be loved of the world but we are loved of God and Jesus the Christ and that counts more than the entire love of the world. Famous people here are loved of the world, but it is only a short time and then that love fades away; but the love of God is an eternal love one that will never ever fade a way. People want to mock the doctrine of the election of God as something evil or problematic but to me it is the greatest blessing that God gave to mankind. They say this election is talking about Israel and not Gentiles, well if this is true then only the Israelites will be saved; only they will enjoy the benefits of salvation in eternity. But I differ with that thinking because I know it is talking about the different nations of the world because God said so in John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Not that He loved everyone in the world because He did not, but that He loved different nations of people in the world.  Peter promised “Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:” Acts 10:34 and Peter went on to say in verse 35 “But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.” Therefore it is impossible that God has only elected the Israelites. I think maybe instead of looking to condemn the doctrine of election I would be more interested in finding out if I am one of God chosen because if you are not you will one day find yourself in the lake of eternal fire and brimstone. The only way to know for sure is what is in your heart, if Jesus is there then you are one of Gods chosen, and if He is not it is time to seek Him because He promised He would be found by those who seek Him. Acts 17:27 “That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:” 

For Our Weekly  Meditation:

People In Darkness Saw The Great Light
“The people which sat in darkness saw great light, and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light sprung up.  From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Mt. 4:16-17)  “…the dayspring from on high hath visited us, To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” (Lk. 1:79)

The valleys of the shadow of death are actually quite crowded; yet, for a conscience soul to walk in the abyss of its darkness is more than the heart can bear.  The grave yards are filled with occupants but they are not conscience bodies to discern life and death.  So it is of the spirits of men.  As offspring of Adam man has inherited the sin nature, and is born into the world spiritually “dead in trespasses and sin.”  Man exists in the graveyard of dead souls not conscience of the life that is in Christ Jesus.  “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” (Jn. 3:19)  Sinful creatures are in love with sinful lives, because they are ignorant of the better life.

In the day of God’s power the eternal Light of the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ springs forth into the abyss of man’s deadness, and it blossoms a newness of life through the blood of the Lamb of God, born out of the Holy Spirit, and by the determinant purpose of the Everlasting Father.  Where they were in darkness, now they see the great light of the eternal gory of the Father in Jesus Christ.  The darkness of unbelief and dead hope becomes a heavenly light of saving faith crying out, “O Father, I was blind but now you have made me to see!  How could I have been so blind as to not see Thy great hope in the Light of Christ Jesus?  The hope of darkness is death, who can bear it.  Give me more Light by Thy amazing grace.” 

Jesus said: “I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.” (Jn. 12:46)  Oh that the Light of Christ would drive out the darkness in sinful men’s souls!

By Dr. M. J. Seymour, Sr.

Church News.

The church will hold her business meeting tonight at 4:00. Any business should be bought before the church at this time.  Please plan to attend.

Bring nothing but your sins and miseries

When you come to Christ—you must leave behind you:

   all your own righteousness,

   all your own holiness,

   all your own sanctification,

   all your own duties,

   all your own tears,

   all your own repentings, etc.

 Oh, this is hard!

 You must bring nothing but your sins and miseries to Him. Otherwise, Christ is not fit for you—nor you for Christ!

By J. C. Ryle