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 February 14, 2016            Newsletter Number 555 Brother Randy Johnson, Pastor                    Brother Ronnie Henderson Sr., 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, 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, Cindy Lane, Ronnie Henderson Jr. & Children, Ricky Henderson and Family, Jacie Henderson, Velma Hammond, Charles, Don Hammond and Families, Vickie Adkins, 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, Brandy Sullivan, Ryan & Gina Peel and his mother, Tammy Hairston and family, Brother Kelley and Sister Hinson, Manual Seymour, Sr, Dewayne Sewell, The Harris Family, Teresa Bookout, LittleTitan Thomas (Trent and Tiffane Thomas child), James - Diane and Brooke Thomas, Steve Sparks, Brother Harold & Ann McSwain, 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:   Money And Churches.   This week I saw an article written on Facebook that was written by an ex-Southern Baptist Church employee and it was about the money in churches. She had suggested that the government needs to start taxing churches because they are receiving so much money. First of all the government has no right to tax the churches on anything. If taxation comes to the churches then the next step is controlling them with IRS agents or at least the threat of it. I can understand why people would be looking at the churches for taxation because one thing she was right about, assemblies that call themselves churches are raking in big bucks and hiding it in so called churches. A church is about glorifying God The Father, Jesus Christ The Son, and The work of the Holy Sprit in us that are saved. The churches are not about money, however business always are. These "churches" are no longer churches but rather business and the Pastor are not Christ minded they are business minded looking for a larger "store" (or church) to apply for as the new manger. These "stores" do not sell products, they sell christianity. I wonder what Jesus would think of those "churches" today? "And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves;" Mark 11:15 I know that in the large organizations like the SBC, ABA, BMA, and most if not all there must be millions if not billions floating around that should be taxed, but how do you do it is beyond me. I understand there must be abusers. I know there are a lot of wonderful, hard working believers among them that want to do the work of the Lord but with them are a lot of abusers. These people are hurting the little church that serves only one purpose and that is to serve the Lord our God in Spirit and Truth. We are not about money and have never been. Personally as Pastor I have no idea what our church has in the bank. When I need to know I will ask the treasure or hear it read every six months in our business meeting. My job is to under-shepherd the flock that Christ has chosen me for. Some Pastors wants a more hands on approach but not me, that is our treasures job and not mine. If we start to run in the red every month then he will let me know. We never  ask for money, we take up no collection in plates (except for a pacific cause or person) and we do not pass them more than once a service. I know there are abusers and if the government can figure them out with out attacking and sending IRS agents into the small churches then fine, but we are protected by the Constitution. I know there are abusers, I just saw an article titled "Catholic author raises Two million to get souls out of purgatory" where this woman is raising and giving money to the Catholic government big money for something they cannot do, and I know because there is no such place. I also read where the SBC wants to start infant baptism, I wonder why, ok its about the money. This issue was a blood bath in the early centuries between Baptist and Catholics and the "churches of error" before they assembled together to form the Catholic Church. I will close with this thought, I personally do not know all the goings on in the large organizations and Independent bodies that collect money under the name churches, but I do know this, any type of government interference will destroy the small church that desire only to serve the Lord and not at the alter of the mighty dollar. I heard a religious organization, don't remember the name of it but it included something with "family" in the name, these people actually wanted people to call so that they could lead them in changing their will to leave their house to them. This is what I call swine. But this is not what true churches are about, we are not about money because God said "For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." 1 Timothy 6:10  The love of money will cause you to error from faith. Huh, wonder why God would say that? Oh, because it is truth.

A Thought For Your Week:  “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6   Many times in this life we will lean on our own knowledge when troubles arise. But God tells us to trust in Him. No matter what trust in Him. When we have changes in our lives. Good or bad. Trust in God. Seek His guidance in all things. Only God can direct our paths. O child of God, look to our God for understanding in all things. Seek His face in all that we do. Do nothing with out consulting our Heavenly Father first. Then listen for that still small voice. Our God does not always speak loudly. He does not always work where the whole world can see. Many times we are the only ones who hear and see His handy work. Look to the Word of God in all things. Leave behind you feelings and your worldly knowledge. Leave behind you lust of this world and the pride of this life. Look to God!!! Seek Him and Him alone!!!   “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”   By Brother Steve McCool

Happy Birthday:    Sister Dawana Reigel Monday February 15th

By His wounds we are healed: Sin has thoroughly diseased us, and poisoned our very blood. Sin has diseased our understanding, so as to disable it from receiving the truth. Sin has diseased our conscience, so as to make it dull and heavy, and undiscerning of right and wrong. Sin has diseased our imagination, polluting it with every idle, foolish, and licentious fancy. Sin has diseased our memory, making it swift to retain what is evil, slow to retain what is good. Sin has diseased our affections, perverting them from all that is heavenly and holy, and fixing them on all that is earthly and vile.   Isaiah 53:5 "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." - By J. C. Philpot 1865