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 November 27, 2016            Newsletter Number 596 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 Adcock, 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 – his mother 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:   A Believers Liberty In God’s Word."One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind." Romans 14:5   Here in Texarkana, we were blessed to have one of our supported Missionaries to visit us last Wednesday night. Brother Dan Sullivan Missionary in Thailand, Brother Dan brought a study titled “Soul Liberty” which is the base for this article. While I have titled it different is all means the same thing, in fact some people would title it “Christian Freedom”. As Christians we are bound to Gods word, the doctrine or teachings of the bible are facts and cannot be changed for any thought or reason. As Sovereign Grace Baptist we are bound to the doctrines and beliefs of God’s word as has been handed down through history from Jesus Christ until now. Men and women have worked hard, even died to preserve God’s blessed Truths from generation to generation. And we here in the Twenty-First Century must also preserve the truth of the scriptures. It is not doctrine I am speaking of here, but rather the beliefs in God’s word that we differ. I have for years wrote, preached, and begged Christians to be tolerant of one another and our different beliefs. Once again I want to remind all my beloved Family in Christ and especially my beloved Minister Brethren that not a one of us is perfect in our belief of the Scriptures. We are all sinners, and come short of the perfectness of the Holy Scriptures. If any person does not allow room in their thoughts for error, then that person might as well stop their learning of God’s Holy Word. The fact is we are all subject to error and we must all allow each other room for error. Remembering our own frames and how fragile we truly are. I agree with Brother Sullivan when he said the Baptist Doctrine are fact and unmovable and any true Baptist will believe them and stand on them, and they are not subject to argument any more. However, there are some interpretation of the scriptures that are debatable because of the way you and I might interpret them. God said "Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation...For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." 2 Peter 1:20 - 21 meaning man did not write the word of God, but were writing as God moved them. It is God’s word and therefore it is exactly what God wants it to be. We as Believers or churches cannot change it and make it a private interpretation. Sometimes we will find things in the bible that you will see one way and I will see another way, but who is right, you or me? Here in Romans the subject is about whether Christians can eat meat or should we abstain from meat. God answered in verse 3 "Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him." Do not offend each other, because you are not the judge of your brother or sister, but of God. Folks, the truth is there are some things that we are going to interpret in the scriptures that others see another way. As Christians and church members we must allow for error on both sides. Beloved, this is a fact, if I separated myself from every Christian I disagreed with on something scriptural, then I would most likely be alone. God said we are to be acceptant of one another, because you are not the judge of what is right or wrong, God is. Please allow me to ask this question, if by chance you are wrong on something and you chastised another believer, or withdrew fellowship from another brother because of this non-doctrine difference, how will you feel when you stand before Jesus Christ to find out that you were wrong?  As “A Believers Liberty In God’s Word” is allowed freedom to their interpretation of God’s word, and still be able to worship and serve together as Saints of God. If you judge another Christians beliefs as though there is no room for error on both sides, then you will be judged by Jesus Christ the very same way. God told us two very important things when we judge another believer, “Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:" Luke 6:37 and "Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment." John 7:24 Brother things that are of private interpretation are just that and should be just that and nothing more. I have personally had a couple of brethren whom I love withdraw fellowship from me because they disagree on a private interpretation of a non-doctrinal issue. They will account before Jesus Christ for their intolerance of “A Believers Liberty In God’s Word.” May God be merciful to them in judgement. Beloved it is ok for you to see a scripture one way and I see it another, we are not perfect Theologians of the scripture. Even our beloved first churches did not see everything perfect. There were many errors in the Lords first churches, and we still error today. Now for this final thought, we are not God’s policemen. God did not appoint us to police the belief of other Christians or church members. And the reason He did not is because there is only one single perfect being and His name is Jehovah, and we know Him as Jesus the Christ. Paul finished this thought in Romans chapter 14 with these words, “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” Romans 14:12 Brethren, you do not have to account for me before God, I do. Allow room for error because the error might actually be on your part and not mine. Let them that eat meat eat it, and those that eat herbs eat them, it’s ok, we still worship, pray, study, and learn together in Christ. “He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.” Romans 14:6 Let us all worship together and work together, for we are small as it is in this world, and let us not quarrel over little things. Again, while the doctrine of the church has been handed down from Jesus, Paul, Peter, and etc., not everything we believe is Baptist church doctrine. Let us all love one another and study together to show ourselves approved to God, we are only here for a short time and we must hand down a unified loving church to our next generation. We must ask ourselves, what kind of a church attitude are we handing down? What kind of an example are you personally handing down? Is it godly?

Our Religion Must Cost Us Something! George Everard, "Shine as Lights!" 1882   "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me." Luke 9:23   Every Christian must be a cross-bearer. There is no escaping this. "Whoever does not carry his cross and come after Me, cannot be My disciple." Luke 14:27   We must be willing to suffer for Christ's sake; we must crucify self and the flesh; we must be willing to perform unpleasant duties, and make sacrifices of things we might like to retain.