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 July 31, 2016            Newsletter Number 580 Brother Randy Johnson, Pastor                   Brother Ronnie Henderson Sr., Song Leader Pastor E-Mail: pastor@sgmbaptist.com                        Web Site: www.sgmbaptist.com “A Church Believing And Standing On The Truth, As The Holy Spirit Has Taught It.”

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, Tyrell Loyd, Bonnie, 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, 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, Linda Hughes, Rosie Tomlin, James and Lynn Tomlin, Pat Abercrombie, Donna Jones, Brandy Sullivan, Gina, Tammy Hairston and family, Brother Kelley and Sister Hinson, Manual Seymour, Sr, Dewayne Sewell, The Harris Family, Teresa Bookout, Little Titan Thomas (Trent and Tiffane Thomas child), James – Diane and Brooke Thomas, Jace Fails, 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:   Serving God, It Includes Rejecting The World. “No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Luke 16:13   If you are a Christian then you are the property of God, you have been bought and paid for with the blood of Jesus Christ. Think about this, God saved you for a reason, He put you in a church for a reason, and His Holy Spirit leads you through life because we cannot lead ourselves. “For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you.” 2 Corinthians 13:4 There are way too many Christian getting in trouble with the Lord who don’t even realize it. As long as we are in this flesh we are weak, we may think we are strong, but we are truly weak. The weakness of Jesus was the separation on the cross from deity and flesh, when God allowed the man Jesus to die on the cross there was a separation of the Godhead from the man. “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Matthew 27:46 the word “forsaken” here means - to leave behind in some place – this was done to allow the man to die because God cannot die. This is why God had to raise Jesus from the grave. This is how He was “weak” and He had to be raised by God’s power. Now understand that all power was given back to Him and all authority was also given to Him. "...All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth." Matthew 28:18 This is why God promised Jesus “Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.” Acts 2:27 Jesus was without deity and had to be raised from the grave by the Father’s power. (I know some of my brethren disagree this fact, but I still love you.) I believe this is a glorious example to us believers that we live every moment by God’s power. Just as God saved us, just as God moves us, we live by God’s power and outside of it we will fall. As Christians we must understand that this world is not for us, we are just pilgrims passing though until we reach our new home. Jesus said "...My kingdom is not of this world..." John 18:36 and it is not our home. This world is evil, it was conquered by Satan and he now controls it. "In whom the god of this world..." 2 Corinthians 4:4 Therefore to enjoy the world is to enjoy Satan. We as believers must learn to separate ourselves as much as possible from worldly things because these worldly things will separate us from our service and worship of God. If Jesus was weak, then we are many time weaker because He was not a sinner by nature as we are. Fleshly speaking, we are sinners by nature, and by nature we will flock to sin if God does not hold us back. This is why we must keep away from the world and allow all our attention to be on the Lord. The reason is, the world will cause us to despise the Lord and His ways. This is why so many Christians have changed their thinking from the power of God to their own power. Therefore, worshiping the creature more than the creator. “Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator…” Romans 1:25 Beloved, worldly things will cause you not to walk and fellowship with God. We are weak, and we must not tempt ourselves with worldly things. This is why God warned us to “Abstain from all appearance of evil." 1 Thessalonians 5:22 not just from evil but even the “appearance” of it. If it even looks evil stay away from it. This is why the Lord told us "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts..." 1Peter 3:15 that is to make the Lord Holy in your hearts and then follow your hearts. The Lord even give us instructions on how to accomplish this, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” John 17:17 Beloved, this world has not been for us since the fall of Adam, therefore do not allow it to harm your fellowship with the Lord. Do not allow it to change the doctrine of God into a lie for the sake of fleshly doctrine. Go to church on regular basis and learn what God expects, and live in His word and not the world. Have a good fellowship with God and He will have a good fellowship with you. I will end with this thought with this verse, please read it really carefully. “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves… 2 Corinthians 13:5

" Election and Predestination"  -Arthur Pink   "Election and Predestination are but the exercise of God's sovereignty in the affairs of salvation, and all that we know about them is what has been revealed to us in the Scriptures of Truth. The only reason why anyone believes in Election is because he finds it clearly taught in God's Word. No man, or number of men, ever originated this doctrine. Like the teaching of Eternal Punishment, it conflicts with the dictates of the carnal mind and is repugnant to the sentiments of the unregenerate heart. And like the doctrine of the Holy Trinity and the miraculous birth of our Savior, the truth of Election must be received with simple, unquestioning faith."

My politics! -John Newton, 1778   The whole system of my politics is summed up in this one verse, "The Lord reigns! Let the nations tremble!" Psalm 99:1   The times look awfully dark indeed; and as the clouds grow thicker — the stupidity of the nation seems proportionally to increase. If the Lord had not a remnant here, I would have very formidable apprehensions. But He loves His redeemed children; some are sighing and mourning before Him, and I am sure He hears their sighs, and sees their tears. I trust there is mercy in store for us at the bottom; but I expect a shaking time before things get into a right channel — before we are humbled, and are taught to give Him the glory.   The state of the nation, the state of the churches — both are deplorable! Those who should be praying — are disputing and fighting among themselves! Alas! how many professors are more concerned for the mistakes of government — than for their own sins!   "Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns!" Revelation 19:6

Noteworthy: Do not forget our Bible Conference is getting closer, please continue to pray for it. September 16 - 17