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 July 13, 2014 Newsletter Number 473 Brother Randy Johnson, Pastor Brother Ronnie Henderson, Song Director Pastor E-Mail: pastor@sgmbaptist.com Web Site: ww.sgmbaptist.com

Our Prayer Request: 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, The Muncy Family, Robert Riggs, Wendell Henderson, Judy Dunn, Martha Gray, Joshua Kidd, Matthew Kidd, Ronnie and Sarah Henderson, Ronnie Henderson Jr. & Children, Ricky Henderson and Family, Jacie Henderson, Velma Hammond, Charles, Don Hammond and Families, Archie & Barbara Griffin, Bro. & Sister Bob Keller, 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, 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.

A Thought From Pastor Johnson: What is forsaking the body?Hebrews 10:24 - 25 “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: (25) 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.” We as church members should work together as a family, as in unison, or as one single body. As we look at the church from this view let us also note that we are also to function as one single body. There should be nothing more important to a church member than the Lords church in which they are a member. When one fails in their part of a functioning body then it is like your arm, leg, fingers, or maybe a lung, or kidney not functioning, that is the impact you have on the church. When we speak of a small church as most Sovereign Grace Baptist are then each member becomes the more important to the body. The Lord tells us “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together” the word “forsaking” means - to leave behind or in the sense of abandoning – The reason is the church is the most important institution on earth, it is God’s, therefore forsaking it is to forsake God. The church is also metaphorically the body of Christ, which means it should be treated as we would treat Christ’s body, and it allows us to know the importance of our membership. The church will also be the Bride of Christ one day. I have said all this to allow us all to understand the importance of the local New Testament church. The Lord said “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works” The word “consider” means - to observe fully, that is Take careful note of each other's spiritual welfare. – Meaning we as the rest of the church are to take note of another members habits and actions if they should start falling away in some way. We are not our own to do as we please nor are we to act contrary to God’s word. If one does, then rest of the body are to attempt to restore such a one. We as church members are to love one another and more than anyone else on the earth. We are family and not just family but spiritual family, and the members of the same spiritual body, we will spend eternity together as a church. The Lord said “but exhorting one another” the word “exhorting” means - to call near, or to watch over one another” that we all may not forsake the assembly. There are several ways one can forsake the assembly. 1. We can stop attending services, 2. We can refuse to help in the church with the talents God has given us, 3. We can stop giving tithe and offering to the church, or etc, etc, etc. If you are a church member it is your duty to the Lord and the church to use you abilities to farther enhance the Lord’s church. I often wonder what the church would do if the Pastor acted as some of the membership, what would the churches thinking be. I believe he would be called up before the church and maybe fired. What is the difference between the church membership and the Pastor? His pay; his status in the church? The difference is the Pastor knows better and has been called to an office that will not allow him to be like some members. Maybe a Pastor has more fear of God than some church members. One can also forsake a church in their giving to the church, it is the responsibility of each member giving to the churches storehouse and those that fail are failing the church. A church will soon go broke if we forsake the giving to the Lord’s house. Folks, I believe in tithe but it is better to give something rather than nothing. If you don’t tithe, then don’t forsake the giving of something monetarily; because doing so is a forsaking the church. It does not matter how much money a church has, a deficit every month will soon wipe out the entire account. It is sad to see a broke church because your Pastor will suffer, missionaries will suffer, and the giving to the needy will suffer, and someday the church will suffer closer. Let us all do our part in every area we can and forsake not the assembling of ourselves together. Every member is a member of the body and if one member does not function right it shows a weak body.

A Thought From Oscar Mink, Our Former Pastor: Infinite Sovereignty “My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure” (Isaiah 46:10). God’s sovereignty is not a relative sovereignty such as that of the king and monarchs of this earth. Earth’s sovereigns are temporal, and their power circumscribed by limitless contingencies, but not so with God. He is the absolute Sovereign of the universe. The God of the Bible cannot be denied, disappointed, defeated, and neither is He disturbed by the vehement diatribe of disgruntled man. “Nay, but O man, who art thou that repliest against God? shall the thing formed say to Him that formed it, why hast Thou made me thus?” (Romans 9:20). The God of the Bible knows no limitations, and infallibly accomplishes all of His designs. His sovereignty is absolute, “Andwhat His soul desireth, even that He doeth” (Job 23:13). Christendom so-called is permeated with false ideas about the God of the Bible. The great majority who call themselves Christian allow that God is wise and powerful, but in their theology and practice they deny that He is all powerful and all wise. In paying lip service to God they allow that the natural universe is the product of an Infinite Creator, but in spiritual regeneration their will is mightier than God’s, and by their stubborn will God’s redemptive purpose is made ineffective. Their false notion of God not only makes Him a Redeemer subject to risk and a Saviour Who is subservient to the will of man, but in the final analysis makes Him less than human. They consistently teach that their Savior is so puny He is going to lose the great majority of those for whom He died. Infinite inconsistency, God is sovereign in creation but powerless to redeem. What is your thought dear Reader, did God slip-up in His creation of man? Was Adam’s sin an oversight on God’s part? Is there weakness in God, or is He worthy to be worshipped? The Bible affirms and reaffirms over and over that God is omniscient in wisdom and omnipotent in power, and that His will runs unrestrained through every atom and action in the whole universe. “The Lord hath made all things for Himself ...” (Proverbs 16:4) and He asks, “Is it not lawful for Me to do what I will with mine own?” (Matthew 20:15). The heart humbled by infinite grace in adoration submissively replies, “Thou art the Potter, I am the clay” (Isaiah 64:8).

Church News: Our Church business meeting is today at 4:00 please plan to attend. Don’t forget the Bible Conference is September 19 – 20; it is time to prepare for it now. Let us set our thinking to getting everything ready for the services.