Sovereign Grace Missionary Baptist Church "Where The Truths Of God’s Word Have Been Taught For More Than Fifty-Three Years” 1217 Dillon Texarkana, Texas 75501 November 2, 2014 Newsletter Number 489 Brother Randy Johnson, Pastor Brother Ronnie Henderson, Song Director Pastor E-Mail: pastor@sgmbaptist.com Web Site: www.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, Johnnie Stephens, Alecia Stephens, and children, Frankie Baldridge and daughter, Buckie Thompson, Frank & Sonya Trusty, Frank & Dawana Reigel, Andrew Preston, Larry & Martha Mollette and Her Family, Larry Mollette II & Family, Kerry Pennington, Kim Poole, Danny & Nita Mollette, The Muncy Family, 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, James and Lynn Tomlin, Pat Abercrombie, Donna Jones, Dale Trahan, Ricky and Margaret McCoy, Brother David O’Neal, James & Diane Thomas, Gina Peel, Brother Kelley and Sister Hinson, Melissa Elliott, Megan Whitaker, Manual Seymour, Sr., Brother Jerry and Sister Jean Dodson, Mr. Hedges, Danny Hammond, 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: Christian Voting.Romans 13:1 “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.” The question if Christians should vote is a highly controversial subject, even among the Sovereign Grace Baptist. Some believe as Christian we ought to simply accept what God ordains and therefore we have no reason to vote in a non-Christian world, as some believe women have no right to vote in the Lord’s churches. I am not here to ruffle feathers of my brethren in the Lord but I must disagree with both. First, I believe every member in the Lord’s church have a right to vote if they choose too. I understand submission but I find no instance in the scriptures where the church would not allow their women to vote. A husband and wife ought to talk about their opinions and should reach an agreement in how to vote just as they should in a National election. I also do not believe that a woman casting a vote one way and her husband casting a vote another way would violate the submission rule. My wife and I talk about things before we vote and 99.999% of the time vote alike on everything. I know some will disagree but when we get to heaven we will agree 100%. It is true that God ordains all the powers that be including world leaders. It is true that President Obama is in office because God put him there. These ungodly men ruling the world are what I would call ungodly servants of God. God has the right and the power to do with His creation as He chooses even the lost. Ever who is elected next Tuesday (November 04) will be Gods choice for sure. All will not be for our (the Christians) good but remember God also has a predetermined plan for the world to enter the tribulation period and God will setup an evil world leadership to take the world into this period. However, with this being said I do not believe this excuses the Christian from voting. I believe that Gods will, will be done in the Lord’s churches, but I also believe in voting. I believe we are servants of God and should do God’s will and be used of God to see His will done. I have a question; can God save a sinner without us preaching the gospel? The answer is yes, if a church never preaches the gospel God can and will continue to save the lost souls because Salvation is not dependent on our preaching, God simply chose to use our preaching in salvation, but it is not a must. 1 Corinthians 1:21 “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.” However it is the churches responsibility to preach the gospel to the world, because God uses that gospel to save the lost. However, God’s elective will, will always be done no matter what we do. We are taxpayers, we are part of this world, we are living in this world according to the laws these people set in place for us, and we ought to vote. Our vote will not hurt the ordained will of God, but God could use it to accomplish His will. It is our responsibility to God (if we vote) to vote for people as close to godly as we can. There are no excuses in voting for a person who hates God or outright tries to override God’s word. I believe ungodly laws are here to stay like abortion, gay marriage, and etc, etc, etc. however, we as Christians ought not to vote for people who support these views. Find out where the person you are going to vote for stands on these issues. I believe we are accountable to God for the way we vote, as we are in every other way. We are Christians and we are to live like one and also vote like one. Remember God has ordained all things, so the results are Gods will and therefore also remember that the world is quickly heading for the tribulation or wrath of God so do not be discouraged, lift up your head, for redemption drawth nigh!

A Thought From J. C. Philpot: If your flesh had its full swing"For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that you may not do the things that you desire." Galatians 5:17 At times, we can hardly tell how we are kept from evil. There is in those who fear God, a spiritual principle which holds them up, and keeps them back from the ways of sin and death in which the flesh would walk. This inner principle of grace and godly fear has, in thousands of instances, preserved the feet of the saints, and kept them from doing things that would have ruined their reputation, blighted their character, brought reproach upon the cause of God, and the greatest grief and distress into their own conscience! They cannot do the EVIL things that they would do. The flesh is always lusting towards evil, but grace is a counteracting principle to repress and subdue it. Grace does not wholly overcome the evil lustings of the flesh, but it can prevent those lustings from being carried out into open action. For the Spirit fights against the flesh, and will not let it altogether reign and rule, nor have its own will and way unchecked. What a mercy lies couched here! For what would you be, if your flesh had its full swing? What evil is there which you would not do? What crime which you would not commit? What slip which you would not make? What open and horrid fall which you would not be guilty of—unless you were upheld by Almighty power—and the flesh curbed and checked from running its destructive course? We can never praise God sufficiently for His restraining grace—for what would we be without it? "Hold me up, and I shall be safe!" Psalm 119:117

I must caution you: Take care of too frequent interaction with the world. I write with a heart full of love—but I must caution you. There is nothing more dangerous to young Christians, than indiscriminate interaction with the ungodly. In such society—it is far more likely that we would receive evil, than impart good. Prudence and prayer are then especially needful; for we may more easily conform to the world—than bring the world to conform to us. Happy are those who have the least to do with it, except in the way of absolute duty and necessity. May no trifles ever wean your affections from the unspeakably important subjects of eternity. Idols are bewitching, dangerous things—and steal away the heart from God. The most lawful things may become idols—by fixing an unlawful degree of affection upon them. The world, even in its apparently harmless form, is a terrible snare to the young and untaught mind. My wish and endeavor has been to cultivate intelligent pursuits, in connection with piety, with my children, as recreations; instead of allowing and encouraging the trifling and often corrupting amusements of the world. -- Excerpt from a letter of Legh Richmond to one of his children