Sovereign Grace Missionary Baptist Church "Where The Truths Of God’s Word Have Been Taught For More Than Fifty-Two Years” 1217 Dillon Texarkana, Texas 75501 May 04, 2014 Newsletter Number 463 Brother Randy Johnson, Pastor Brother Ronnie Henderson, Song Director Pastor E-Mail: pastor@sgmbaptist.com Web Site: www.sgmbaptist.com

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, Helen Maggard, Johnnie Stephens, Alecia Stephens, and children, 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 and Sarah Henderson, James and Summer, 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 Fails, Nathan & Claire Fails, Jacob Ramsey, Jerry Hughes, Teresa Bookout, Pastor G. L. Burr, Melody Carr, Janie Capps, Imajo Tracy, Linda Hughes, Roy Lemmon, Rosie Tomlin, Pat Abercrombie, Donna Jones, Dale Trahan, Ricky and Margaret McCoy, Brother David O’Neal, James & Diane Thomas, Gina Peel, James and Lynn Tomlin, Brother Kelley and Sister Hinson, Robert, Megan Whitaker, Manual Seymour, Sr., Brother Jerry and Sister Jean Dodson, 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 Blessings of Heavenly Afflictions: “And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, And prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD he was God.” (II Chron. 33:12-13) There is a wonderful lesson of life in these two verses. Many would no doubt disagree and perceive not the blessings contained herein, but to the discerning eye of a child of God there are immeasurable blessings springing out of the bosom of the Father. As it written: “But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.” (Heb. 12:8) Only the sons of God are privileged to have the chastising hand of the heavenly Father, which brings forth innumerous treasures of love. God warned Manasseh to turn from his wicked ways but he refused to give heed to the words of God. This rebellion brought on the Father’s hand of punishment. Notice, it is said: “when he was in affliction.” When Manasseh was in the midst of the affliction he came to his senses that God was absolutely serious that he must turn from his depraved ways to walk in the paths of righteousness. It is in the turmoil of this affliction where he is privileged to experience godly gifts. The opportunity to conduct oneself rightly toward God is a heavenly gift of privilege allotted only to the sons of God. Note the privileged blessings: 1. “He besought (grievingly) the LORD; 2. He “humbled himself greatly before the God”; 3. He “prayed” (by way of acknowledging his sins) to God; 4. God listened to Manasseh’s prayer; 5. God heard (judicially with mercy) his plea for gracious favor; 6. “Then Manasseh knew that the LORD he was God.” The privilege of being able to repent is a gift from God. (Acts 11:17-18), and not all men are afforded this gift. God brings forth afflictions upon His sons with gifts for repentance that they may KNOW the LORD He is God. Praise Him!

A Thought For The Week: Remember, God's arrows never miss the mark! "God is a righteous judge — and God is angry with the wicked every day!" Psalm 7:11. God not only detests sin, but is angry with those who continue to indulge in it. We have no ignorant or indifferent God to deal with; He can be angry, nay, He is angry today and every day with you — you ungodly and impenitent sinners! The best day that ever dawns on a sinner, brings a curse with it. From the beginning of the year even to its ending, there is not an hour in which God's oven is not hot, and burning in readiness for the wicked, who shall be as stubble before Him! "If he does not repent, He will sharpen His sword; He bends His bow and makes it ready!" Psalm 7:12. What blows are those which will be dealt by that long-uplifted omnipotent arm! God's sword has been sharpening upon the revolving stone of our daily wickedness, and if we will not repent, it will speedily cut us in pieces! Turn or burn is the sinner's only alternative. "He also prepares for Himself instruments of death; He makes His arrows into fiery shafts!" Psalm 7:13. Even now God's thirsty arrow longs to wet itself with the blood of the ungodly! His bow is bent, His aim is taken, His arrow is fitted to the string — and what, O sinner, if the arrow should be let fly at you even now! Remember, God's arrows never miss the mark, and are, every one of them, "instruments of death." Judgment may tarry, but it will not come too late. The Greek proverb says, "The mill of God grinds slowly — but grinds to powder!" "The sharpening of God's sword is but to give a keener edge, that it may cut the deeper. When God's sword is sharpened — it is to cut; and when God's bow is bent — it is to kill! Woe be to that man who is God's target!" William Secker "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God!" Hebrews 10:31 By Charles Spurgeon

This burden of ours! This burden of ours is God's gift to us — and to lay it down would be to lay down a blessing. Surely it is a wiser love which puts new strength into your heart and arm, so that you can go on with your hard duty, your heavy responsibility, your weight of care, without fainting — than would be the sentimentality which would take all the load away, and leave you free from any burden. God's purpose always is to make something of us, to bring out the best that is in us. Hence He does not clear the forest for us, but puts the axe into our own hands, and bids us to cut it down for ourselves. And while we prepare the ground for tillage — we grow healthy and strong ourselves through the toil. He does not drive out the enemies for us. He puts the sword into our own hands — and sends us to drive them out. The struggle does us good. The wrestling makes us strong. "Moreover let us exult in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance. And endurance develops maturity of character." Romans 5:3-4 By J.R. Miller