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 July 16, 2017            Newsletter Number 628 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.”

Please Join Us As We Pray For: 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, Lee & 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 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, Donna Jones, Brandy Sullivan, Gina, Brother Kelley and Sister Hinson, Manual Seymour, Sr, 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, Brandy’s Mother, Elaine Sparks, James daughter’s mother-in-law, Rick McCloskey’s brother, David Leman, Danny Hammond,  Brother Curtis Pugh, Brother Dan Sullivan the work in Thailand, Brother Raul and the work in Romania, Bro. Sergey Mochalov and the Churches in Russia.

A Thought From our Pastor: Love is God, And It Should Be Us As Believers.“Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. (8.) He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” 1 John 4:7-8   Think about this question, what is the greatest thing in a believer that has been saved by God’s grace and the Blood of Jesus Christ? Here is you answer, LOVE. I wonder what is more important to some Christians, love or doctrine? Folks, please understand I am as much a doctrine man as any other but the greatest thing we have in us is love, because God is love and God is in us. It truly does surprise me sometimes at the amount of anger in some Christians heart over doctrinal difference, almost a hatred. The scriptures conclude “We love him, because he first loved us." 1 John 4:19 Who loved who first? God did, God loved you while you were yet a sinner. You were a nothing, nobody sinner who knew no truth and did not love God and yet by His grace and mercy, because of His love He elected to love you and to save your unworthy soul. There are way too many Christians that allow their love for other Christians fall short because of doctrinal differences, this is a disgrace to the God that loves every single one of His elect. I believe as Christians we have made to many separations for too many dumb reasons in the past. Look at our past and look at God’s word, we have all failed God. God said, “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God…” there is not stipulation on that love, none at all. God did not say, “if you all agree in doctrine, or if you are the same race, or if you are all the same nationality”. No, God said “Beloved” let us love one another because God is love and He chose to love you. Christians are not haters, they are lovers. There are no greater Christians than others. If you are saved by the love, grace, and mercy of God then you are as important to God as any other believer. After salvation, the ones who walk the closest with God as the ones who walk after the Spirit of God and in truth. But, beloved, it does not separate us there, we still must show our love to those who may fall short. Let us remember, those who walk in truth walk there because God has elected to show that to you, but others do not because God has not showed it to them. This does not make you any better, brighter, or more loved than any other Christian on earth. There was a time when God loved the Jews, and the Jews thought that God would never love anyone but them, but thank you Lord, He also loved me a Gentile sinner. Beloved, if you are saved, if you are loved of God, then share that love with other believers, it is called “redeeming the time”. Let us learn from the past, let us breakdown the walls of separation and love all the family of God, respect them, and show God that we are no longer the past of separation. God point blank said, “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?" 1 John 4:20 Beloved, it matters who you are, what church you are a part of, what race, nationality, or anything else, if you hate your brother in Christ for any reason, you are a liar and may not even be a Christian. Folks, the world and Satan hates all alike, and because of Jesus Christ, why should Christians be like them. God finished up with these words, “And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.” 1 John 4:21

RELIGION or SALVATION?By Daniel E. Parks   “Religion is the work of man. It is something for man to do.” So said Charles Grandison Finney (1792-1875), “The Father of Modern Revivalism”, a foremost advocate of so-called “Christian Perfectionism”, and probably the foremost proponent of Freewillism in his day. We are deeply indebted to him for his very frank admission, which is found on the very first page of Lectures on Revivals of Religion, the most influential of all of his writings.   Preachers of religion exhort you to do something in order to be saved. Finney exhorted people to come to what he called the “anxious seat”. Other Religionists exhort you to come to their mourner’s bench, altar, baptistery, sabbath, or whatever else they substitute for coming to Christ. Some exhort you to “Decide for Christ” or “Give your heart to Jesus” or “Make Jesus your personal Lord and/or Savior” or whatever other vain deed religionists contrive.   In sharp contrast to Mr. Finney, “Salvation is the work of God. It is something God does.” So say Holy Scriptures throughout. “Salvation is of Jehovah” (Jonah 2:9) – from beginning to end and throughout. When the Philippian jailer asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” Paul and Silas replied, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:30f). In essence, they were telling him, “There is nothing you can do for your salvation. It is already done by God through the Lord Jesus Christ. Trust in the One who wrought salvation, and you will be saved!” And even this act of believing unto salvation is the work of God, for Jesus Christ declares, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent” (John 6:29).

The best way to run the goats out of the church!By D. J. Ward   "Feed My sheep." John 21:17   "Feed the flock of God entrusted to you." 1 Peter 5:2 The best way to purify the church and keep it pure—is to get rid of all the goats! And the best way to run the goats out of the church—is to feed them 'sheep food'. God's sheep will grow in grace under the preaching of grace—but goats will go hungry because they choke on 'sheep food'. They will soon leave and go somewhere else. Preach sovereign grace! “Now I commit you to God and to the message of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all who are sanctified." Acts 20:32

Church Notices   Please continue to pray for our Bible Conference September 15 and 16