Sovereign Grace Missionary Baptist Church "Where The Truths Of God’s Word Have Been Taught For More Than Fifty-Four Years” 1217 Dillon Texarkana, Texas 75501 November 01, 2015            Newsletter Number 540 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, Trace Wilson, Ted O'Bonion, Larry Mollette II & Family, Kerry Pennington, Kim Poole, Danny & Nita Mollette, The Muncy Family,  Wendell Henderson, 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, Donna Johnson, James and Luann Reynolds, Timothy Fails, Nathan Fails, Jacob Ramsey, Jerry Hughes, Pastor G. L. Burr, Melody Carr, Janie Capps, Imajo Tracy, Linda Hughes, Roy Lemmon, Rosie Tomlin, James and Lynn Tomlin, Pat Abercrombie, Donna Jones, Diane Thomas, Brandy Sullivan, Gina Peel, Tammy Hairston and family, Brother Kelley and Sister Hinson, Manual Seymour, Sr, Brother Jerry and Sister Jean Dodson, Dewayne Sewell, 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:   What does It Truly Take to Get To Heaven?"Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.(7.) Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again." John 3:3, 7 Well it is a fact I trust the entire word of God, and without question. However, when I read the words of Jesus Christ it just gives it a little more unction, I don't know why it is all His word. Here we see this ruler of the Jews who is clueless about heaven and getting there. So he ask Jesus a very powerful question (how do I get to heaven), and Jesus gives him a very powerful answer, "Ye must be born again." What this answer does is it leaves no possible doubt that one must be born again to ever see or enter heaven. The reason this question came to my mind is this week I saw a "place of worship" (some places, it would be an insult to the Lord's churches to call them a church) that had a sign in front of it that read "They that want to get to heaven, must have a plan" (maybe not an exact quote but the same non-the-less) and it made me wonder, what kinda plan? I have to put this sign in the class of the dumbest signs ever, right with the one I saw in Tyler, Texas that read "God could not be everywhere at once so He created Mothers" and yes it was Mothers Day week. People this weak in mind biblically should not be allowed to put up signs. The only plan in salvation or getting to heaven is God's plan which is in the person of Jesus Christ. You can ask 50 different kind of preachers how to be born again and you will most likely get 50 different ways to be saved. However, there is only one way to be saved and that is God's way. God point blank answered that question through the Apostle Paul in Acts 16:30, 31 "And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? (31.) And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved..." Jesus so boldly answered the question in John 3:5 "Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." The water here is the natural birth and the Spirit is the Holy Spirit. Now let us understand the birthing of the Holy Spirit is a process, it starts with a calling by the Holy Spirit Romans 8:14, then it is a quickening Ephesians 2:1, 5, then there is a delivery of faith Galatians 5:22 and Galatians 3:23, then there is a believing and a promise of deliverance John 3:15. This is the plan and it most certainly is not our plan it is God's plan and that make it a plan without error or failure. All other plans are false and failed. There is no works on our part, no church membership, no baptism needed, no nothing else. I know there are a lot of differences of opinion on this and man makes it sound as though that salvation is something we do, something we accomplish, however God without question says the natural man will never change who he is. If God does not change the sinner then the sinner is doomed for eternal damnation. You can listen to man hack away at the word of God and cut it to pieces to make a doctrine of damnation into a doctrine of salvation. There is a proper way to be saved and to see the kingdom of God but it is in the plan of God which is through Jesus Christ. Any thing else takes the glory away from Jesus Christ, it is he who died, it is he who rose on the third day, and it is he who sits on Gods right hand. It is he who judges and he who condemns Romans 8:34. It is all Him and nothing else, and no one will ever be born from above without Him in their hearts. Only His blood can cleanse all our sins, therefore it is only in Him that we can be fully clean and white. Man or the Son of man, who do you believe?

A Thought For Your Week:   It Cannot Be Both WaysBy John Newton Among the many general causes of decline in grace, we may assign a principal place to  spiritual pride and self-admiration. If our attainments in knowledge and giftedness, and even in grace—seduce us into a good opinion of ourselves, as if we were wise and good—we are already ensnared, in danger of falling every step we take, of mistaking the right path, and proceeding from bad to worse, without a power of correcting or even of discovering our deviations! That is—unless and until the Lord mercifully interposes, by restoring us to a spirit of  humility, and dependence upon Himself. For God, who gives more grace to the humble—resists the proud!  He beholds them with abhorrence—in proportion to the degree in which they admire themselves! It is the invariable law of His kingdom, that everyone who exalts himself—shall be abased! True Christians, through the remaining evil of their hearts, and the subtle temptations of their enemy, are liable, not only to the workings of that pride which is common to our fallen nature—but to a certain kind of pride, which, though the most absurd and intolerable in any person—can only be found among those who make profession of the gospel. We have nothing but what we have received, and therefore to be proud of our titles, wealth, knowledge, success, or any temporal advantages by which the providence of God has distinguished us—is downright sinful! For those who confess themselves to be 'sinners', and therefore deserving of nothing but misery and wrath—to be proud of those peculiar blessings which are derived from the gospel of God's grace—is a wickedness of which even the demons are not capable of! The apostle Paul was so aware of his danger of being exalted above measure, through the abundant revelations and peculiar favors which the Lord had afforded him—that he says, "There was given me a messenger of Satan to buffet me." He speaks of this sharp trial as a great mercy, because he saw that it was necessary, and designed to keep him humble and attentive to his own weakness. Ministers who are honored with singular abilities and success, have great need of watchfulness and prayer on this account! Simple-hearted hearers are apt to admire their favorite preacher—taking it for granted that he is deeply affected himself with the truths, which, with so much apparent liberty and power—he proposes to them. While, perhaps—the  poor worm is secretly indulging self-applause, and pleasing himself with the numbers and attention of those who hang upon his words! Perhaps such thoughts will occasionally rise in the minds of the best ministers; but, if they are allowed, if they become habitual, and enter strongly into the idea he forms of his own importance; and if, while he professes to preach Jesus Christ—he is preaching himself, and seeking his own glory—he is guilty of high treason against the Majesty of Him in whose name he speaks! And sooner or later, the effects of his pride will be visible and noticed. Doctrinal errors, gross misconduct, an abatement of zeal, of gifts, of influence—are evils, always to be dreaded, when spiritual pride has gained an ascendancy, whether in public or in private life. "The Lord Almighty has planned it, to bring low the pride of all glory and to humble all who are renowned on the earth." Isaiah 23:9 "For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have—that you did not receive? And if you did receive it—why do you boast  as though you did not?" 1 Corinthians 4:7

Church News!     * Today we will have our monthly business meeting at 4:00.