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 21, 2016            Newsletter Number 556 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:   The Rapture and Persecution Of Christians."Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." 2 Timothy 3:12   As believers in Jesus Christ there is one single event we look so forward to, and that is the Lords return. "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:" 1 Thessalonians 4:16 What an event it will be, there will be a "shout", not just any shout but it will be a glorious shout. Then there will be a blowing of a trumpet, not just a trumpet sound but "the trump of God" I don't know exactly what this shout or trump of God is but I can promise they both will be special and the forerunner of the calling home all believers on the earth. However, of that time we simply do not know, except the Father. "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only." Matthew 24:36 Since there is no way for us to know the will of God on this time, we simply must hope and pray that the appointed time for the "shout" and "trump of God" are soon. This time has been promised and hoped for since Jesus Christ ascended into the cloud in which He shall return. "Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." Acts 1:11   Now with all this goodness being spoken about, let us also set out thoughts on reality. The real story here is we simply do not know when Jesus will return, today, tomorrow, a year, decade, or even a century, the truth is we do not know, but only hope and pray it is soon. With this being said, we as Christians must realize that this world is worsening almost by the hour. Jesus Christ was hated and hunted most all his life until he surrendered His life on the cross. Since the time of Jesus His followers have been persecuted even to the point of miserable and gross deaths. If you follow Christians thru history you will find they were persecuted and killed in very horrible ways. We saw Christians in the "dark ages" This is a time around 5th – 15th century. During this time the Roman Empire controlled by the Catholics seek to destroy any Christians who would not convert to their religion. Many millions of Baptist were slaughtered by these governments and Catholics. Christians were beheaded, hung by the neck, crucified in many ways, tied to wheels and rolled over rocks until every bone in their bodies were broken, and many were rolled in lard and thrown alive to the wild animals to be eaten alive. All of these persecutions were simply because they were followers of Jesus Christ, proclaimer's and obeyers of His word. Here in America we were blessed when our forefathers escaped the King's government and Catholic persecution and sailed to a new world where Christians could worship God without persecution. However, we know if we read the scriptures we will never escape the persecution of Satan and his followers. "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." 2 Timothy 3:12 As some of you who are young may not know, but there were times in this nation (while we were not a Christian Nation) where godliness was more tolerable toward God and the bible. However, in the last 50 years a great and fast descent has progressed to where we are at today's time. America has reached a point where godliness is a thing of the past and heathenism has captured our Nation. With the death of Justice Antonin Scalia it is possible that the Supreme Court will turn ultra liberal and liberalism hates God and Christians. I do not know if churches and Christians have woke-up to this fact of not, but if the Court is turned liberal the U.S. Constitution will become obsolete and the court will re-write it to fit liberalism. Our rights afforded to us by the First Amendment will be in jeopardy of being over written by the new liberal court. There could be a time in our life time when it could become to hard for true churches and Christians to exist in America. We could very well become the object of imprisonment and even death because of who we are, followers of Christ and His word. I know there are a lot of folks who are saying this will never happen in our life time, but I also heard this on gay marriage, and the legalization of some mind altering drugs like Marijuana. Beloved, what I say is very logical and very possible. Never doubt the power of Satan. All churches and Christians need to focus on the preaching of the gospel, but we also need to focuses on prayer and unity because the axe of liberalism and the most hate time for Christians has just fallen with the death of Justice Antonin Scalia. As I said we do not know when Jesus Christ will return, but for our sake I pray it is soon. Believe me the haters of Israel and Christians has this on the top of their mind and agenda. Let us all be in much prayer. "But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. 1 Peter 4:7 May God bless us all as we watch and pray together. And please let us all "Pray without ceasing." 1 Thessalonians 5:17

A Thought For Your Week: That Is All They Have To Enjoy"Turn away my eyes from beholding vanity!" Psalm 119:37   No Christian enjoys comfort—when his eyes are fixed on vanity.   I do not blame ungodly men for rushing to their pleasures. Why should I? Let them have their fill. That is all they have to enjoy! A godly wife who despaired of her husband's salvation, was always very kind to him, for she said, "I fear that this is the only world in which he will be happy—and therefore I have made up my mind to make him as happy as I can in it." Christians must seek their delights in a higher sphere—than the insipid frivolities or sinful enjoyments of the world. Vain amusements are dangerous to renewed souls. It is when the Christian departs from God, becomes spiritually starved, and endeavors to feed on vanities—that the devil discovers his vantage hour. O for grace to sincerely pray, "Remove vanity and lies far from me!" Proverbs 30:8    By Charles Spurgeon

Walking Bibles, By  Thomas Watson: "Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart." Psalms 119:34   Determine to PRACTICE whatever you read. Christians should be walking Bibles, living the truths written. The Word is not only a guide to knowledge, but a guide to obedience. A holy reading of God’s Word, results in our fleeing from sins, and practicing the duties commanded.   "I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word." Psalms 119:101