Weekday Devotions October 26th

Faith’s Check Book

By Charles H. Spurgeon

BECAUSE OF US

"For the elect’s sake those days be shortened" Matthew 24:22

For the sake of His elect the Lord withholds many judgments, and shortens others. In great tribulations the fire would devour all were it not that out of regard to His elect the Lord damps the flame. Thus, while He saves His elect for the sake of Jesus, He also preserves the race for the sake of His chosen.

What an honor is thus put upon saints! How diligently they ought to use their influence with their Lord! He will hear their prayers for sinners, and bless their efforts for their salvation. He blesses believers that they may be a blessing to those who are in unbelief. Many a sinner lives because of the prayers of a mother, or wife, or daughter, to whom the Lord has respect.

Have we used aright the singular power with which the Lord entrusts us? Do we pray for our country, for other lands, and for the age? Do we, in times of war, famine, pestilence, stand out as intercessors, pleading that the days may be shortened? Do we lament before God the outbursts of infidelity, error, and licentiousness? Do we beseech our Lord Jesus to shorten the reign of sin by hastening His own glorious appearing? Let us get to our knees, and never rest till Christ appeareth.

Thought’s for the Quiet Hour

Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people

Luke 2:10

It is true that these good tidings of great joy were to be “for all people,” but not first. The message falls on our own ears, and is first for our own souls.

Oh, ponder this well! Take all God’s truths home first to thine own heart. Ask in earnest prayer that the Spirit may write them with the pen of Heaven on thine own conscience. Then wilt thou be a vessel fitted for the Master’s use, and carry His message with spiritual power to the souls of others.

F. Whitfield

Do not trifle with God!

   ~  ~  ~  ~

    (J.H. Thornwell)

"You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain." Exodus 20:7

It is enough to make one's blood curdle, to think of the name of God bandied about as a bauble and plaything of fools. It is the very spirit and essence of all evil--the very core of iniquity. This offence cannot go unpunished. If there is a God, He must vindicate His own majesty and glory. If you could see it as it is, in the naked enormity of its guilt--you would flee from it as from the very pestilence of death!

You may sport with the whirlwind and trifle with the hurricane,
you may lay your hand upon the lion's mane and play with the leopard's spots,
you may go to the very crater of a burning volcano, and laugh at the lava which it thunderously belches out,
you may trifle with any and everything--but do not trifle with God!
Let there be one holy thing upon which you dare not lay a profane hand--and let that be the name of God.

   ~  ~  ~  ~

Daily Promises

Blue Letter Bible
October 26, 2016

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. (Revelation 2:11)

Follow Christ even unto your death and your reward shall be great! Life—and that eternal! Nevermore shall the sting of death be felt. Nevermore shall the wasting of the body be remembered. Life! Life! Life! To worship the Son forever, casting down glory upon glory at His feet—so is the beautiful destiny of all those who believe! So take heart in your faith and taste the true and everlasting life!

Morning Devotional October 26, 2016

Acts 17:22-31

“Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, To The Unknown God. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.”



In our society today we see many alters “TO THE UNKNOWN GOD”. Our nation has fallen so far from following God that many have not even heard of Him and many are so afraid of what they don't know of Him that they are on a crusade to remove every mention of Him from public view. But little do they realize nor do they understand that you cannot simply remove the names of God and His Son Jesus Christ from public view. How silly to think man the creation can remove God the Creator from His own creation. The very evidence of God is all around us. Man has tried to remove God from the story of the creation by inventing evolution and the big bang theory. Man has tried to remove God from the miraculous birth of a child by murdering the child in the womb and claiming he controls life and death. And man has even tried to remove God from His people by polluting religion.
Where does it stop? O praise God their day is coming!!! With all the atrocities man has inflicted on the true people of God and all the attempts to stamp out the name of the very Creator of all things they have done nothing more than shown He is alive and is control!!!
Child of God, I challenge you. Proclaim the name of God and His Son with every opportunity that arises. Proclaim His Gospel to a lost and dying world. Let them know who this “UNKNOWN GOD” is they seem to want to destroy.
Praise God from whom all blessings flow!!!



Praise ye the Lord!!!


Stephen McCool

Weekday Devotions October 25th

Faith’s Check Book

By Charles H. Spurgeon

 

GOD FIRST, THEN EXTRAS

 

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" Matthew 6:33

 

See how the Bible opens: "In the beginning God." Let your life open in the same way. Seek with your whole soul, first and foremost, the kingdom of God, as the place of your citizenship, and His righteousness as the character of your life. As for the rest, it will come from the Lord Himself without your being anxious concerning it. All that is needful for this life and godliness "shall be added unto you."

 

What a promise this is! Food, raiment, home, and so forth, God undertakes to add to you while you seek Him. You mind His business, and He will mind yours. If you want paper and string, you get them given in when you buy more important goods; and just so all that we need of earthly things we shall have thrown in with the kingdom. He who is an heir of salvation shall not die of starvation; and he who clothes his soul with the righteousness of God cannot be left of the Lord with a naked body. Away with carking care. Set all your mind upon seeking the Lord. Covetousness is poverty, and anxiety is misery: trust in God is an estate, and likeness to God is a heavenly inheritance. Lord, I seek thee, be found of me.

 

Thought’s for the Quiet Hour

The eleven disciples went … into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.… Jesus came and spake unto them saying … Go ye and teach all nations

Matthew 28:16, 18, 19

The considerable actions in the world have usually very small beginnings. Of a few letters, how many thousand words are made! Of ten figures, how many thousand numbers! A point is the beginning of all geometry. A little stone flung into a pond makes a little circle, then a greater, till it enlarges itself to both the sides. So from small beginnings God doth cause an efflux through the whole world.

Charnock

Christianity does not apply to the mundane duties of life

   ~  ~  ~  ~

        (J.R. Miller)

"Whatever your hand finds to do--do it with all your might!" Ecclesiastes 9:10

Christ never asks for anything which we are not able to do. But let us not forget, that He always expects and requires of each of us, the best that we can do. The faithfulness which Christ wants and approves, implies the doing of all our work, our business, our trade, our daily toil--as well as we can.

Let no one think that Christianity does not apply to the mundane duties of life. It applies to the way you do your most common work--just as really as to your praying and keeping of the commandments. Whatever your duty is, you cannot be altogether faithful to God, unless you do your best. To slur any task, is to do God's work badly. To neglect it, is to rob God.

The faithfulness which Christ requires, must reach to everything we do. It impacts the way . . .
  the child learns his lessons and recites them,
  the dressmaker and the tailor sew their seams,
  the blacksmith welds the iron, and shoes the horse,
  the plumber puts in his pipes,
  the carpenter builds the house,
  the clerk represents the goods, and measures or weighs them.

How soon would genuine Christian living put a stop to all dishonesty, all fraud, all skimping, all false weights and measures, all shams, all neglects of duty--if this lesson were only learned and practiced everywhere!

"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do--do it all for the glory of God!" 1 Corinthians 10:31

   ~  ~  ~  ~

Daily Promises

Blue Letter Bible
October 25, 2016

[[To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, A Song upon Alamoth.]] God [is] our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; (Psalm 46:1-2)

So strong is our victorious Lord that ever more can we, His people, trust in His promise to protect us. Fear not, O believer, for even now is the kingdom of God visible by your faith! Take up your heavenly reign! Rejoice in your seat at the Father's throne! God will be your sturdy defense and never will the enemy's darts pierce your hide, so go forth proclaiming the Lord's victory in boldness.

 

Weekday Devotions October 24th

Faith’s Check Book

By Charles H. Spurgeon

GODLY STABILITY

"And I will make thee unto this people a fenced brazen wall: and they shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee to save thee and to deliver thee, saith the Lord" Jeremiah 15:20

Stability in the fear and faith of God will make a man like a wall of brass, which no one can batter down or break. Only the Lord can make such; but we need such men in the church, and in the world, but specially in the pulpit.

Against uncompromising men of truth this age of shams will fight tooth and nail. Nothing seems to offend Satan and his seed like decision. They attack holy firmness even as the Assyrians besieged fenced cities. The joy is that they cannot prevail against those whom God has made strong in His strength. Carried about with every wind of doctrine, others only need to be blown upon, and away they go; but those who love the doctrines of grace, because they possess the grace of the doctrines, stand like rocks in the midst of raging seas.

Whence this stability? "I am with thee, saith the Lord": that is the true answer. Jehovah will save and deliver faithful souls from all the assaults of the adversary. Hosts are against us, but the Lord of hosts is with us. We dare not budge an inch; for the Lord Himself holds us in our place, and there we will abide for ever.

 

Thought’s for the Quiet Hour

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven

Matthew 5:16

They say the world has an eagle eye for anything inconsistent, an eye sharp to discover the vagaries and inconsistencies in the defaulty and the unworthy. It has an eagle eye; but the eagle winks before the sun, and the burning iris of its eye shrinks abashed before the unsullied purity of noon. Let your light so shine before men, that others, awed and charmed by the consistency of your godly life, may come to enquire, and to say you have been with Jesus.

Punshon

 

May our thoughts seldom wander from the Cross!

   ~  ~  ~  ~

    (Henry Law, "Psalms" 1878)

"My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from saving Me--so far from the words of My groaning?" Psalm 22:1

We take our stand at Calvary.

The Cross is erected.

Jesus, the God-man, our substitute, our Redeemer, hangs there.

We look, and we receive assurance that truly He is . . .
  bearing our curse,
  drinking to the dregs our cup of wrath,
  receiving into His inmost soul the sword of justice, and
  suffering the extremities of anguish as the penalty for our sins.

Oh! what a sight of wonder!

Views of redemption, lead to grateful love. It is far easier to count ocean's drops, than to portray . . .
  the Savior's love,
  His matchless worth,
  His righteousness, and
  the glories which He has purchased.

How precious is that expiating blood! Let us ponder its worth, and the marvels it has wrought--until our hearts become one blaze of love, and our lips one note of praise!

May our thoughts seldom wander from the Cross!
   ~  ~  ~  ~

Daily Promises

Blue Letter Bible
October 24, 2016

The LORD [is] the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot. (Psalm 16:5)

With the Lord being our portion and our cup, He becomes our sufficiency in both food and drink. The reference of the "lot" may either speak of the land that was granted or even how God is in control of everything-even our destiny. We also have the promise of a heavenly lot which Jesus talks about in John 14:2.

Sovereign Grace Missionary Baptist Church "Where The Truths Of God’s Word Have Been Taught For More Than Fifty-Five Years” 1217 Dillon Texarkana, Texas 75501 October 23, 2016            Newsletter Number 592 Brother Randy Johnson, Pastor                   Brother Ronnie Henderson Sr., Song Leader Pastor E-Mail: pastor@sgmbaptist.com                                          Web Site: www.sgmbaptist.com “A Church Seeking To Please God In Prayer, Song, Preaching, And Worship.”

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, Mary Mollette, 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, The Morris Family, Teresa Bookout, Little Titan Thomas (Trent and Tiffane Thomas child), James – Diane and Brooke Thomas, Jace Fails, Steve Sparks, Sister Ann McSwain, Brother Archie and Barbra Griffin, Brother Curtis Pugh, Brother Dan Sullivan and the work in Thailand, Brother Raul and the work in Romania.

A Thought From our Pastor:   No Love Of Christ In You! John 5:42 “But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you.”   Jesus Christ is the single most rejected man in the history of this world. People hated Him when He was on this earth, so much so they released a murder to crucify the Son of God. John wrote "He came unto his own, and his own received him not." John 1:11 Jesus Christ came to the Jews and they rejected Him, so much so they punished Him worse than any man. The world hates Him and also rejects Him, and because of their hate for Jesus they also hate Christians. Even “so-called Christians” hate Him, while they seek to worship Him they in reality hate Him. They hate Him because He is the Saviour of the world.  "And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?" John 11:26 He, and He alone is our salvation, but as the Jews rejected Him, so does most of the religionist called Christians. Salvation is in Jesus Christ and the bible is completely proof of this, but so-called Christians reject Him as Saviour and trust their own works for salvation. I understand why this is done, it is because people trust themselves more than Jesus Christ. People just cannot believe that a person can obtain salvation without their input. This is the mentality of the human nature, “only I can do it, and do it right”. However, we cannot, we have not the ability within us to do it ourselves. If we did we would not need a Saviour. The forgiving blood of Jesus is needed every day of your life, even after you are saved. Believers in Jesus Christ, Christians, are still sinners, we still sin every day. But, somehow some people truly believe they are sin-free because after their salvation they can live sin-free lives, oh, how wrong you are. We need the grace of God every day just to do one single thing to bless God. The only good thing in us is Jesus Christ and God’s forgiveness of our sins. The fact here is people, “so-called Christians” do not love Jesus Christ. He is not valuable enough to them to be their Saviour. His blood is not good enough to wash their sins away. He is not powerful enough to be their Saviour, therefore they must do themselves what Jesus was not able to do. Let us look at the word of God, “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, (25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.”  Jude 1:24 – 25 The idea that works, works of any sort is to replace the Saviour is to say that His power is less than yours. It is to reject Jesus Christ as Saviour and therefore you will hate Him and not love Him. Paul, speaking to his young preacher Timothy said this “And the L.ord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen”. 2 Timothy 4:18 With this being said, I must ask this question, “how is Jesus Christ preserving us, if we are preserving our own selves”. Jesus Christ Himself said these words “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” John 10:28 If He has given us eternal life, then how is it that we can lose eternal life? So let’s look at it this way, we have been delivered in Jesus, we are preserved in Jesus, we cannot perish in Jesus, and no man (including ourselves) can pluck them out of my hand, but somehow people keep their salvation by works. Folks, people who will not accept Jesus Christ as their Saviour is rejecting Him as their Saviour, and therefore they hate Him and not love Him. Listen to the words of God, “That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. (8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. (10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:7 – 10. Salvation is nothing about ourselves, everything is a gift of God, everything is ordained of God, and everything is accomplished by God’s power. Now I ask, do you truly love Jesus Christ, because only those saved in Him truly love Him.

ARE YOU CHOPPING OFF YOUR OWN LIMB? By C. H. Spurgeon   Many a man may see his portrait here! The spendthrift hacks away his estate and falls into destitution and disgrace. The drunkard cuts at his health and strength, his family comfort and household peace, and when he has finished his mad work, he drops into ruin, through his own folly. The man of low, debauched habits, is chopping, with fearful effect, at his own body and soul, and will, ere long, rue the lusts which hurl him into disease, agony, and death. There are other fools beside the man in the woodcut, who are lopping off the branch which holds them up. It is base ingratitude when men are malicious and cruel to those who are their best friends. Wives and parents often have to feel sharp cuts from those whom they lovingly support and are anxious to preserve from ruin. Shame that it should be so! Self-righteous reader, you are ready to join with us in any censure which we may pass upon the madness of the sins we have just hinted at; but permit us to ask you, whether you yourself are not photographed in our picture? You are resting upon the bough of good works, and yet, every day, your faults, imperfections, and sins are rendering it less and less able to bear your weight. It never was a firm support, and if you know yourself, and are candid enough to confess your shortcomings, you will at once perceive that it has become, in the judgment of conscience, a very frail dependence, quite unworthy of your confidence. Had you never sinned, and consequently, never made one gash in the bough, we might tolerate your trusting to it; but since you have cut at it again and again, and it is ready even now to snap beneath you, we pray you leave it for a surer resting-place. All reliance on self in any form or shape is gross folly. Feelings, works, prayers, almsgiving, religious observances, are all too feeble to support a sinful soul. "Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid Jesus Christ the righteous." "Whosoever believeth in him is not condemned." "He is able also to save them to the uttermost who come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them." Trust Jesus and he will never fail you.

Church Notices;   Daylight savings time will end on Sunday, November 6th Clocks will fall back one hour.

Quote For Your thoughts:- A.W. Tozer “The God of today's Christianity is a weakling--a little cheap, palsy God that you can pal around with. He's "the man upstairs." He's the fellow that can help you when you're in difficulty--and not bother you too much when you're not. It is a major tragedy in the life of any man, to live in a church from childhood to old age with nothing more than some synthetic God compounded of sentimentality and logic--but having no eyes to see, no ears to hear and no heart to love the holy God of Scripture!”

Daily Promises

Blue Letter Bible
October 22, 2016

And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make [you that ye shall] neither [be] barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:5-8)

My Prayer: Gracious Lord, instill these moral principles in my heart. May these qualities be seen in me that others may know of Your wonderful character. Make me fruitful and useful for Your kingdom! For the only blessing that I seek, is to see You using me daily.

Christ, the example of ministers

   ~  ~  ~  ~

    (Jonathan Edwards)

It is not only our great duty, but will be our greatest honor, to imitate Christ, and do the work that He has done--and so act as co-workers with Him.

The ministers of Christ should be persons of the same spirit that their Lord was of--the same spirit of humility and lowliness of heart; for the servant is not greater than his Lord.

They should be of the same spirit of heavenly-mindedness, and contempt of the glory, wealth, and pleasures of this world.

They should be of the same spirit of devotion and fervent love to God.

They should follow the example of His prayerfulness; of whom we read from time to time of His retiring from the world, away from the noise and applause of the multitudes, into mountains and solitary places, for secret prayer, and holy converse with His Father.

Ministers should be persons . . .
  of the same quiet, lamb-like spirit that Christ was of;
  of the same spirit of submission to God's will, and patience under afflictions, and meekness towards men;
  of the same calmness and composure of spirit under reproaches and sufferings from the malignity of evil men;
  of the same spirit of forgiveness of injuries;
  of the same spirit of charity, of fervent love and extensive benevolence;
  of the same disposition to pity the miserable, and to weep with those who weep;
  of the same spirit of . . .
    condescension to the poor and lowly,
    tenderness and gentleness toward the weak,
    and great and sincere love to enemies.

They should also be of the same spirit of zeal, diligence, and self-denial for the glory of God, and advancement for his kingdom, and for the good of mankind; for which things sake Christ went though the greatest labors, and endured the most extreme sufferings.

And in order to our imitating Christ in the work of the ministry, in any tolerable degree--we should not have our hearts weighed down, and time filled up with worldly affections, cares, and pursuits.

The duties of a minister that have been recommended, are absolutely inconsistent with a mind much taken up with worldly profit, glory, amusements and entertainments.

  ~  ~  ~  ~

 

Morning Devotional October 21, 2016

1 Peter 1:6-9

“Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.”

O dear Christian, praise God for the trying of our faith!!! Praise God that He loves us so much that He would send trials in our life to strengthen our faith in Him!!!

Brother and Sister if you are going through trials today, look to our Heavenly Father. Pray without ceasing. Give Him the glory for His grace and mercy through these trials that He sends to strengthen our faith and that build patience. Count it an honor to be so loved by our Heavenly Father that He would draw us closer to Him through trials.

Praise ye the Lord!!!

 

Stephen McCool

Weekday Devotions October 21st

Faith’s Check Book

By Charles H. Spurgeon

GOD’S MULTIPLICATION TABLE

"A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the Lord will hasten it in his time" Isaiah 60:22

Works for the Lord often begin on a small scale, and they are none the worse for this. Feebleness educates faith, brings God near, and wins glory for His name. Prize promises of increase! Mustard seed is the smallest among seeds, and yet it becomes a tree-like plant, with branches which lodge the birds of Heaven. We may begin with one, and that "a little one," and yet it will "become a thousand." The Lord is great at the multiplication table. How often did He say to His lone servant, "I will multiply thee!" Trust in the Lord, ye ones and twos; for He will be in the midst of you if you are gathered in His name.

"A small one." What can be more despicable in the eyes of those who count heads and weigh forces! yet this is the nucleus of a great nation. Only one star shines out at first in the evening, but soon the sky is crowded with countless lights.

Nor need we think the prospect of increase to be remote, for the promise is, "I Jehovah will hasten it in his time." There will be no premature haste, like that which we see at excited meetings; it will be all in due time; but yet there will be no delay. When the Lord hastens, His speed is glorious.

Thought’s for the Quiet Hour

Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life

Revelation 2:10

There is a heaven at the end of every faithful Christian’s journey.

Cuyler

The breakdown and breakup of "Civilization"

   ~  ~  ~  ~

(Arthur Pink, "The Destruction of Dagon" 1943)

The "march of progress" from 1920 onwards, was, if measured by the standards of righteousness and decency, steadily downwards. Those with the least sense of decency were determined to drag the whole generation down into the gutter. An orgy of licentiousness was widely entered into. Night-clubs were multiplied, gambling spread like wild fire, and debauchery abounded on every side. The beaches lowered their bathing restrictions--and modesty became a thing of the past. Youth was allowed to have its fling, unrestrained.

The novels and magazines of the last decade have been filled with obscenities and blasphemies. A friend of ours in the publishing business recently wrote to us, "Today we have shops stacked with books which, had they been published when we were boys--the authors and publishers would have been put in jail!" Censorship has long since been reduced to a farce. The great majority of our children have had their ideas formed by the pictures they saw at the "movies" and the debasing productions of a degenerate press. As a recent writer has said, "The best-sellers of today, are often books whose morals are of the barnyard, whose language is of the sewer and whose ethics are of the pit!"

The breakdown and breakup of "Civilization" appears in such things as the decay of the sanctity of marriage--as evidenced by the multiplication of divorces, and the abandonment of large numbers of babies; juvenile delinquency and immorality among the young; the vandalism which is now so rife; such widespread pilfering--and the flimsy efforts of the authorities to deal with such evils! Thousands of culprits who ought to be sent to prison, are given nominal fines. Law and order is almost reduced to a farce!

No matter in which direction we turn, it is the ugly and the vulgar--which is preferred to the beautiful and refined. What a commentary on our so-called "progress."

Someone has said, "The popular taste is a good index to the health of society." Apply that dictum to our own times, and it will quickly appear how the moral health of society has declined.

We do what we do--because we are what we are. There is always a rigid consistency between character and conduct. The thin coating of "civilized" varnish has worn off--and twentieth-century character stands exposed.

Editor's note: One can only imagine what Mr. Pink would write if he were alive today!

  ~  ~  ~  ~

Weekday Devotions October 20th

Faith’s Check Book

FROM EVERY SIN

"He shall save his people from their sins" Matthew 1:21

Lord, save me from my sins. By thy name of Jesus I am encouraged thus to pray. Save me from my past sins, that the habit of them may not hold me captive. Save me from my constitutional sins, that I may not be the slave of my own weaknesses. Save me from the sins which are continually under my eye that I may not lose my horror of them. Save me from secret sins; sins unperceived by me from my want of light. Save me from sudden and surprising sins: let me not be carried off my feet by a rush of temptation. Save me, Lord, from every sin. Let not any iniquity have dominion over me.

Thou alone canst do this. I cannot snap my own chains or slay my own enemies. Thou knowest temptation, for thou wast tempted. Thou knowest sin, for thou didst bear the weight of it. Thou knowest how to succor me in my hour of conflict; thou canst save me from sinning, and save me when I have sinned. It is promised in thy very name that thou wilt do this, and I pray thee let me this day verify the prophecy. Let me not give way to temper, or pride, or despondency, or any form of evil; but do thou save me unto holiness of life, that thy name of Jesus may be glorified in me abundantly.

Thought’s for the Quiet Hour

Who is among you that feareth the Lord … that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God

Isaiah 50:10

“In fierce storms,” said an old seaman, “we can do but one thing, there is only one way; we must put the ship in a certain position and keep her there.”

This, Christian, is what you must do. Sometimes, like Paul, you can see neither sun nor stars, and no small tempest lies on you; and then you can do but one thing; there is only one way. Reason cannot help you. Past experiences give you no light. Even prayer fetches no consolation. Only a single course is left. You must put your soul in one position and keep it there. You must stay upon the Lord; and, come what may—winds, waves, cross seas, thunder, lightning, frowning rocks, roaring breakers—no matter what, you must lash yourself to the helm, and hold fast your confidence in God’s faithfulness, His covenant engagement, His everlasting love in Christ Jesus.

Richard Fuller

A perfect rest!

   ~  ~  ~  ~

    
      ("Every Day!" Author unknown, 1872)

"There remains, therefore, a rest for the people of God!" Hebrews 4:9

There is present rest in Christ for the weary and heavy laden, who truly come to Him--for He is faithful who has promised, and He has said to such, "I will give you rest! Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart--and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." Matthew 11:29-30

There is present rest for the tried believer in the bosom of his heavenly Father. Amidst the anxieties and turmoils of life--how good it is, my soul, to return unto your rest in Him who has dealt so bountifully with you!

But yet there remains a rest to the people of God--a perfect rest . . .
  from the burden of guilt,
  from spiritual conflict,
  from the temptations of the evil one, and
  from all the sorrowing and sighing of this valley of tears!

There is in the future a perfect repose of soul, abiding tranquility--and unbroken, eternal rest. Not a rest of inaction, but a rest in happy, unwearied service--and in the enjoyment of the perfect love of God.

My soul, trustfully anticipate the rest that awaits you in the home of the redeemed, in the place that Jesus is preparing for His redeemed people!

"Return to your rest, O my soul--for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you!" Psalm 116:7

"There shall I bathe my weary soul
 In seas of heavenly rest;
 And not a wave of trouble roll
 Across my peaceful breast!"

  ~  ~  ~  ~

Daily Promises

Blue Letter Bible
October 20, 2016

Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. (Proverbs 1:23)

Trust in God. Turn to Him. Be of repentant heart. Put your faith in God and He will be your God and you will be His child. No more shall you stand at odds with Him as a hater of righteousness, but He will bring you to new life, calling you His son and clothing you in holy purity. How wonderful!

Weekday Devotions October 18th

Faith’s Check Book

By Charles H. Spurgeon

 TEARS, THEN JOYFUL HARVEST

"They that sow in tears shall reap in joy" Psalms 126:5

Weeping times are suitable for sowing: we do not want the ground to be too dry. Seed steeped in the tears of earnest anxiety will come up all the sooner. The salt of prayerful tears will give the good seed a flavor which will preserve it from the worm: truth spoken in awful earnestness has a double life about it. Instead of stopping our sowing because of our weeping, let us redouble our efforts because the season is so propitious.

Our heavenly seed could not fitly be sown laughing. Deep sorrow and concern for the souls of others are a far more fit accompaniment of godly teaching than anything like levity. We have heard of men who went to war with a light heart, but they were beaten; and it is mostly so with those who sow in the same style.

Come, then, my heart, sow on in thy weeping, for thou hast the promise of a joyful harvest. Thou shalt reap. Thou, thyself, shalt see some result of thy labor. This shall come to thee in so large a measure as to give thee joy, which a poor, withered, and scanty harvest would not do. When thine eyes are dim with silver tears, think of the golden corn. Bear cheerfully the present toil and disappointment; for the harvest day will fully recompense thee.

Thought’s for the Quiet Hour

Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler

Psalms 91:3

He shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler. That is, from the little things, the hidden traps and nets that are set for us. Great sins frighten where little snares entangle. It is easier to escape the huntsman’s arrow than the crafty lure.

And where are they not set? Riches and poverty, sickness and strength, prosperity and adversity, friendship and loneliness, the work and the want of it—each has its snare, wherein not only are the unwary caught, but the wise and the watchful sometimes fall a prey. Little things, mere threads, hardly worth guarding against—yet they are strong enough to hold us and hinder us, and may be the beginning of our destruction.

Mark Guy Pearse

What is a successful ministry?

   ~  ~  ~  ~

    (Don Fortner)

"Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful." 1 Corinthians 4:2

The desperate need of the hour is faithful men in the pulpits of our churches. We have an over-abundance of preachers. We do not need any more slick, polished, well-educated professionals in "the ministry". But we do, most desperately, need some faithful men--pastors after God's own heart, who feed His people with knowledge and understanding. Thank God, we have a few!

In this day of big business religion, when churches are measured not by their orthodoxy, but by the opinions of men; when a preacher's success is measured not by his faithfulness, but by the number of names added to the church roll--it might be wise to consider what a successful ministry is according to the measure of Holy Scripture.

According to the Word of God, those preachers and churches are successful who are faithful to the work to which God has called them. Never in the Old Testament or in the New was a prophet, apostle, or preacher measured by the opinions of men. God's servants never courted the favor of men, and were never favored by the majority of the people. The church of God has always been out of step with society. The servants of God have always been looked upon as peculiar, bigoted dogmatists, intolerant and incapable of compromise. But they were faithful--faithful to God, faithful to His truth, and faithful to the souls of men.

Do not be so foolish as to measure God's work by man's yardstick. Do not measure the success or failure of preachers and churches by men, by numbers, or by popular opinion. The only measure of success for churches and preachers is faithfulness. Those who faithfully seek and promote the glory of God, who faithfully proclaim the truth of God, and who faithfully serve the eternal interests of immortal souls are successful. Those who are not are failures. The one will stand the fire of judgment. The other will not.

The greatest blessing God can ever bestow upon any people in this world is to establish in their midst a faithful Gospel church with a faithful Gospel preacher as his messenger.

"Tychicus . . . is a dear brother, a faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord." Colossians 4:7

  ~  ~  ~  ~

Daily Promises

Blue Letter Bible
October 18, 2016

And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This [is] the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left. (Isaiah 30:21)

My Prayer: Father, I am so grateful for all Your splendid majesty and mercy! Thank You for dying on the cross and suffering my consequences. Yet more than anything, thank You for conquering death that I may be with you forever and ever! Help me to keep focused on You. May I never look right or left, but continue to faithfully walk on Your holy path. Continue to guide me in all my ways!

All that we can need for life or death, time or eternity!

   ~  ~  ~  ~

 

(James Smith, "The Wealthy Family!")

"There is no lack to those who fear Him!" Psalm 34:9

They are not truly wealthy--who appear to be so--or who boast of being so.

The lost sinner 

must be poor. He has . . .

   no God to comfort him; 

   no Savior to deliver him; 

   no Guide to conduct him; 

   no Advocate to plead for him; 

   no inward peace to support him; 

   no title to Heaven to encourage him.

He is poor. He is in need. He will need . . .

   confidence and comfort in death; 

   a wedding garment, in which to appear before God; 

   and a comfortable home throughout eternity!

Every lost sinner is indeed poor. His resources will soon be exhausted, and he will find himself "wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked!" He may have the appearance of prosperity--but not the reality. True riches belong to another family.

The Lord's people all

fear Him--that is, they fear to offend Him, and desire above all things to please Him. And though they may appear poor--they are really rich! God has provided all good things for them--and He gives all good things to them. 

They have a solid peace, flowing from a knowledge of acceptance with God, through the blood of Jesus. 

They have a joyful hope, which blooms with immortality. 

They are assured of strength equal to their day; and of sanctifying grace to make all their troubles work for their good. 

They are content with God's wise and holy appointments; and godliness with contentment is a good fortune. 

They acquiesce in the will of God; and are often filled with joy which flows from His presence. 

They obtain victory over the temptations which would ensnare them. 

They live above the world, which would allure and beguile them. 

They are sure of support in death. 

They look forward to a joyful resurrection. 

They rightly anticipate Heaven as their portion forever!

There is no lack to them, for all that they can truly need, is promised--and every promise is confirmed by the blood of Jesus!

Jehovah is theirs--along with all that He is, and has!

His power is their support!

His wisdom is their guide!

His fullness is their fortune!

His mercy is their friend!

His love is their Heaven.

"Happy are the people who are in such a case!" All the Lord's people are really in this case--and therefore they are all happy!

Just think of having Almighty God for your present, constant, eternal Friend! 

Think of having the wealth of Deity to supply and satisfy you! 

And if you sincerely fear God--then this is the reality of your case!

No truth is more clearly revealed in Scripture.

No subject is more rich with consolation!

Strength may be exhausted, 

health may decline, 

courage may fail, 

riches may flee, 

friends may forsake, 

enemies may increase,

all circumstances may change for the worse--

but "those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing!"

Sweet promise of a faithful God!

Here, pilgrim, is your staff--take it and travel home!

Here, saint, is your cordial--drink and forget your misery!

Here, believer, is your fortune--take it and live upon it, while a resident here below.

Here, fearful soul, is your antidote--use it to dispel your fears and cheer your fainting heart!

"The young lions may lack food and go hungry--but there is no lack to those who fear Him!"

Here is wealth! Here is comfort!

Here is all that we can need for life or death, time or eternity!

  ~  ~  ~  ~

Weekday Devotions October 17th

Faith’s Check Book

By Charles H. Spurgeon

 

HOLY YEAR

 

"He that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded" Proverbs 13:13

 

Holy awe of God’s Word is at a great discount. Men think themselves wiser than the Word of the Lord, and sit in judgment upon it. "So did not I, because of the fear of God." We accept the inspired Book as infallible, and prove our esteem by our obedience. We have no terror of the Word, but we have a filial awe of it. We are not in fear of its penalties, because we have a fear of its commands.

 

This holy fear of the commandment produces the restfulness of humility, which is far sweeter than the recklessness of pride. It becomes a guide to us in our movements; a drag when we are going down-hill, and a stimulus when we are climbing it. Preserved from evil and led into righteousness by our reverence of the command, we gain a quiet conscience, which is a well of wine; a sense of freedom from responsibility, which is as life from the dead; and a confidence of pleasing God, which is Heaven below. The ungodly may ridicule our deep reverence for the Word of the Lord; but what of that? The prize of our high calling is a sufficient consolation for us. The rewards of obedience make us scorn the scorning of the scorner.

Thought’s for the Quiet Hour

I spake unto thee in thy prosperity

Jeremiah 22:21

We shade our eyes with the hand to shut out the glare of the strong daylight when we want to see far away. God thus puts, as it were, His hand upon our brows, and tempers the glow of prosperity, that we may take in the wider phases of His goodness. It is a common experience that, looking out from the gloom of some personal affliction, men have seen for the first time beyond the earth plane, and caught glimpses of the Beulah Land. Let us not shrink from the Hand which we know is heavy only with blessing.

Ludlow

Daily Promises

Blue Letter Bible
October 16, 2016

And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:39-40)

God has promised us that Jesus will not forsake anyone that God has given Him. God has given us to Jesus, we are His prized possession and Satan will not be able to snatch any of us from His grasp. We have been granted eternal life in heaven with God! Praise the Lord! Exalt His name for He is full of grace and mercy!

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 October 16, 2016            Newsletter Number 591 Brother Randy Johnson, Pastor                   Brother Ronnie Henderson Sr., Song Leader Pastor E-Mail: pastor@sgmbaptist.com                       Web Site: www.sgmbaptist.com “A Church Seeking To Please God In Song, Preaching, And Worship.”

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, The Morris Family, Teresa Bookout, Little Titan Thomas (Trent and Tiffane Thomas child), James – Diane and Brooke Thomas, Jace Fails, Steve Sparks, Sister Ann McSwain, Brother Archie and Barbra Griffin, Brother Curtis Pugh, Brother Dan Sullivan and the work in Thailand, Brother Raul and the work in Romania, Bro. Sergey Mochalov and the Churches in Russia.

A Thought From our Pastor:   Whom Will You Serve? "And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." Joshua 24:15 If you are a Christian, do you truly worship Jehovah God? This is the first question you must ask yourself, do I serve the Lord God. There are many people who worship every Sunday and fail to worship Jehovah God. We cannot simply worship as we please, be in service as we please, and believe as we please. God is set in His ways and He changes not. James tells us in James 1:16 - 17 "Do not err, my beloved brethren...Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." There is no turning with God, therefore do not err. God does not change with time, nor does He ever allow time to change Him. This is good for us because if God changed He might just be willing to consume us. God told Israel that they were blessed because He did not change. Malachi 3:6 “For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.” They most certainly deserved to be consumed, just as we do today. In case you do not understand the word “consumed” it means to end or to rid the earth of them. This is why God is not using Israel today but rather Gentiles. But look what most Gentiles have done to God, His churches, and His truth. The name and power of God have been watered down and changed so much that the true God (Jehovah God) has been eliminated from Christianity. People have failed to worship the Lord in fear, in fact people no longer fear God. It is the fear of God that should keep us in line with the Lord, but where has that fear gone? The Psalmist wrote in Psalms 2:11 “Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.” But today it is hard to get church members even to attend church, and they wonder why their life is falling apart. They have lost their fear of God and seem to no longer to care. The Psalmist also wrote these words of warning in Psalms 89:7 “God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.” Is He, is He held in Reverence? Is He held in Reverence in your home Christian, in your church Pastor, are you Christian Holding God in Reverence? Christianity and churches are not allowed to worship as they please, they are not allowed to change things as they please, God has standards and if we fail to meet those standards we fail to worship the Lord. God does not take whatever He can get, He demands and if His standards are not met then your worship is not accepted. It is not ok with God for you to worship as you please, believe as you please, and to attend church as you please. If a church member will not attend church, that member should be excluded from the church. Church is not an option in the life of a Christian, it is a must. The write to the Hebrews wrote in Hebrews 10:25a “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together…” If a member does not want to attend church, then they should not continue being a part of the Lords church. As Christians we need to choose if we are going to serve the Lord or mammon, because we cannot serve the two together and at the same time. Christian it time for you to decide whom you are going to serve, are you going to be like Joshua and serve the Lord or not? Men, you are personally responsible for the membership of your family, it is our duty as men to the Lord to run our homes and make these decisions. We will be held reasonable to the Lord, does that make you fear, it ought too. Christian, you need to choose, and that choice ought to be to worship God. Anytime you choose not to attend church you have failed to choose obeying God. You have showed that you no longer fear God. Church, a godly standard, a believing truth, is not an option it is a must. Believer, who are you choosing, God or mammon? Please give this verse some thought, “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 What are you telling God when you fail to attend church?

All Things are for God: By Don Fortner "Your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things!" Matthew 6:32    Nothing is more delightful and nothing more comforting to God’s saints in this world than the realization that all things are under the absolute control of our great and glorious God. And nothing inspires us to bear our trials and troubles, sicknesses, sorrows and bereavements here with patience like the fact that all things are for the glory of our God.     “The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.” — I do not presently see what God is doing in all things; but I am assured that in all things the Lord is making for himself an everlasting and a glorious name. Isaiah tells us that the Lord God led Israel “by the right hand of Moses with his glorious arm, dividing the water before them;” and he did so “to make himself an everlasting name.” He “led them through the deep, as an horse in the wilderness, that they should not stumble, as a beast goeth down into the valley, the Spirit of the LORD caused him to rest: so didst thou lead thy people, to make thyself a glorious name” (Isaiah 63:12-14).     In everything that is, has been, or shall hereafter be the Lord our God is making himself an everlasting and glorious name. He who raised up Pharaoh and cast him down in the Red Sea for the glory of his own great name brings all things to pass exactly as he has purposed for the everlasting praise and glory of his great name. — All things are for God.     Frequently, people point to specific things and say, “How can that bring glory to God?” Unbelieving people point to sickness, war, famine, pestilence, crimes and other evils and say, “If there is a God in heaven, how can these things be?” Once, I even heard a preacher say, after considering a great disaster, “God has a lot of things to answer for.” What a horrible statement! The very thought of man calling God Almighty to the bar of human judgment is incredibly blasphemous!      I readily acknowledge that I do not see and cannot explain how isolated events, considered by themselves will bring glory to God. But I do understand what God says in his Word; and I rejoice to believe him. Somehow, when everything that must be has been, when all the purpose of our great God has been perfectly fulfilled, everything will render praise and honor to him.    In Ephesians l:10-11 the Holy Spirit informs us that all things are disposed of by God in time according to his own purpose of grace in eternity in divine predestination. Everything that comes to pass in time was predestinated by God in eternity, and is brought to pass according to God’s purpose for the salvation of his elect and the glory of his own great name. Happy is that soul which has learned to trust and rests in the purpose and providence of God. All things come to pass exactly according to the eternal purpose of our God for the glory of our God.

Church Notices; Happy Birthday Brother Justin Bookout Sunday October 16 Happy Anniversary to Brother Frank & Sister Dawana Reigel Tuesday October 18Happy Birthday Church Friday October 21st our church will be 55 years old. Daylight savings time will end on Sunday, November 6th Clocks will fall back one hour.