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 August 20, 2017            Newsletter Number 633 Brother Randy Johnson, Pastor                   Brother James Thomas, 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, Gina, Brother Kelley and Sister Hinson, The Harris Family, Teresa Bookout, Little Titan Thomas (Trent and Tiffane Thomas child), James – Diane and Brooke Thomas, Jace Fails, Steve Sparks, Sister Ann McSwain, Elaine Sparks, James daughter’s mother-in-law, 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: It Is Un-Christian Like To Offend Other Christians.  “Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.” 1 Corinthians 8:13 I know the context of this scripture, and while I am not going to write about the context in general, my article will involve its context. While the thought is about whether or not to eat meat, it is also about offending other believers. It fears me that for longer than I have been born and certainly a Christian, that believers have been offending each other when it is wrong to do so. It is fine to offend one in the truth, but as Christians we should not do something to offend other Believers in Jesus Christ. We have for too long allowed things in this world to separate ourselves as Christians. I find a lot of “Ministers” who dislike me because we do not agree 100%, but the question I have for those Brethren is, “what if I am right and you are wrong”? We must be very careful in how we offend other Believers, because offending another Believer is just like offending Jesus Christ. Matthew 18:6 “But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.” If you remember Jesus asked Saul Of Tarsus, “And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.”  Acts 9:5 Saul offended Jesus by persecuting His church. You can dig as deep as you please and you will always find that it is wrong to offend other believers, and with this warning we must be careful. Secondly, we must remember our duty as Believers in Jesus Christ is to glorify Him and not ourselves. Our Master has told us not to love this world or the things in is. “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” 1 John 2:15 We must understand this world and all that is in it is useless to God and will be burnt and destroyed for its sinfulness. That is because God has no use for it. Third, if we put the two thoughts together we will come to the sum that we have been desperately wrong. Far too long, Believers have sought ways of separation. We have allowed the color of our skin to separate us, we have allowed small difference in doctrine to separate us, and we allow location and nationality to separate us. As Christians, we must think about other Christians before ourselves. I believe if Christians look for ways to love one another then we will look for less ways to separate from each other. I believe in the American Churches we have for too long allowed Racism to divide us as we do today. There is not difference between a black believer or a red believer, of a yellow believer, or a white believer, or any shade of believer in between. As Pastor, I allow believers as well as sinners to attend our church, and I allow any of God’s children to also join our church that is scripturally able. We are all one in Jesus Christ and all “in Christ”, God’s children. With this all said, Christians should not do or support things that offend other believers, especially if it causes them pain in their heart and causes them to sin. Things of this world are just things, they are not important enough to offend my brothers and sisters in Christ. Jesus said, "But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth." Luke 11:17 If a family is divided it will fall, if a church is divided it will fall, if Christians are against each other they will fall into sin. Humility and graciousness is what we as believers need, we need to think about others before ourselves, we need to put the feelings of others before ourselves. We need to love one another because we all have the Spirit of Jesus Christ within our hearts. Thank God one day, the unity of believers will be what God calls for it to be.

It Is Right To Practice Biblical JudgmentBy E. L. Bynum    One of the most misused verses in the Bible is, ''Judge not, that ye be not judged" (Matt. 7:1). Every Scripture verse should be read in its context, if we are to properly understand the true meaning. In vs. 2-5 of this same chapter it is evident that v. 1 is referring to hypocritical judgment. A brother who has a beam in his own eye should not be judging the brother who may have a mote in his eye. The lesson is plain, you cannot judge another for his sin if you are guilty of the same sin.    Those who cling to "Judge not, that ye be not judged, " to condemn those who expose error should read the entire chapter. Jesus said, ''Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing... " (v. 15). How can we know false prophets unless we judge them by the Word of God? If we know the false prophets, how can we fail to warn the sheep of these "ravening wolves?" All through the Bible we find proof that they should be identified and exposed.    "Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles ? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit" (vs. 16,17). Did the Lord mean that we could not judge the tree (person), by the fruit of their life and doctrine? Certainly not, for you cannot know without judging. All judgment should be on the basis of Bible teaching, not according to whims or prejudices.    ''Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment" (John 7:24). Here our Lord commands that we are to "judge righteous judgment, " which is judgment based upon the Word of God. If judgment is made upon any other basis, other than the Word of God, it is a violation of Matt. 7:1. Webster's Dictionary says that a judge is "one who declares the law." The faithful Christian must discern or judge on the basis of God's inspired law, the Bible.    A fornicator is described in I Cor. 5 :1-13. Paul "judged" (v.3) the man even though he was absent, and he told the Church at Corinth that they were to "judge" (v.12) those that were within. The Greek word for "judge" is the same here as in Matt. 7:1. Paul did not violate "judge not, that ye be not judged," in judging the man, nor in instructing the Church to judge also. All of this judgment was according to the Word of God.    A person who is able to discern between good and evil, has at least one of the major marks of spiritual maturity. "But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil " (Heb. 5:14). W.E. Vine says of the meaning of discern, "a distinguishing, a clear discrimination, discerning, judging; is translated 'discerning' in I Cor. 12:10 of discerning spirits, judging by evidence whether they are evil or of God." Strong also agrees that it means to judge.    Those who are unwilling or incapable of discerning or judging between good and evil are in this manner revealing either their disobedience or their immaturity.