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

December 17, 2017          

 Newsletter Number 649

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:

Worship God For His Gift Of Salvation.

 Psalms 95:6-7 “O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker…For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice,”

As we read these verses, or the Chapter we find the Psalmist is singing a song of praise to God. This is mostly what the Psalms is, a book of praise to God. We see the words “O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker” Let us kneel down before our Lord and worship Him because all that He has done for us, if you are a Christian. In our time we find so much false worship of God, in fact if you listen to them you will see that it is not a worship of God but a worship of man worshiping them selves and man. That is exactly what Paul warned us of in Romans 1:21-23 “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened...Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools...And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.” If you do not believe in Election, if you do not believe that the Holy Spirit convicts the worthless and total depraved heart, if you do not believe that the blood of Jesus washes away all our sins, then you do not have anything to praise God for in your salvation. If you listen to what the Arminian preacher of today has to say you will understand why they praise themselves and not God. Why praise God if you have to labor for what Jesus Christ gives. Jesus promised that we would have rest from our labors in Him. “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 how can you have rest if you are laboring for a salvation that does not exist. Jesus went on to warn us, “Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.” John 6:27 If Jesus GIVES us eternal life then what are people laboring for? And if people are “laboring” for salvation then what exactly did The Father “seal”? In the Psalm God is speaking of the worship we owe Him, and we owe it to Him for the Gift of salvation. James wrote in James 2:18 “Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.” In this “very misunderstood scripture” it actually says we work because of the salvation God gave to us, not for the salvation. We do not labor for the gift of salvation, why would we? We praise God for our salvation in our works because He has saved us from eternal damnation. People that earn their own salvation have no reason to praise and worship God. If you go out and buy yourself a gift, are you going to praise me for it, no you are not. Why would you, just as you will not praise God for a salvation you had to labor for. But to us who are saved by Gods grace, and Jesus labor in His sacrifice, and the work of the Holy Spirit, we have much to praise God for. And it should be a routine in our live to worship God. We should kneel before the very God that gave us this gift and never ever forsake the assembling of ourselves together in God houses. Our life should be to worship God, attend church services, and laboring daily for the Lord. That is our glory to God, and the glory He receives through us because of the sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ. As Christians, our life is not about us, and what we accomplish, it is about our service and worship of God. James did also remind us of these words, “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.” James 2:17 Is your faith living or dead? How is your worship of God? How is your living of the scriptures? How is your praise of the very God that gave you eternal righteousness?  True salvation is yours if “To day if ye will hear his voice” but only if you hear His voice. “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” Revelation 22:17

Perhaps, While We Are Admiring Our Gourd:

By John Newton

   We are in the Lord's school—the school of the cross. His daily providential dispensations are suited to wean our attachment from everything here on earth—and to convince us that this world cannot be our rest, for it is polluted. Our roses grow on thorns; our honey brings a sting. Frequently our sharpest trials—spring from our choicest comforts. Perhaps, while we are admiring our gourd—a worm is secretly preying upon its root! As every bitter thing is sweetened to a believer—so there is some bitterness mingled with every sweet thing. This is wisely and mercifully ordered by our heavenly Father. It is necessary. With such hearts an we have, and in such a world as we live in—much discipline is needful to keep us from sleeping upon the enchanted ground.

   But the time is short. It will not always be thus. We shall soon be out of the reach of sin and temptation. Happy hour, when troubles and sorrows, hitherto our inseparable companions, shall flee away, to return no more! When Jesus, with joy and gladness shall come forth to meet us, and conduct us to our eternal home! Then we shall drink of the rivers of pleasure that are at His right hand—and our happiness shall be unspeakable, uninterrupted, without abatement, and without end!

What Is Most Needed Today:

By Arthur Pink

What is needed today, is a scriptural setting forth of the character of God—

  His absolute sovereignty,

  His ineffable holiness,

  His inflexible justice,

  His unchanging veracity.

What is needed today, is a scriptural setting forth of the condition of the natural man—

  his total depravity,

  his spiritual insensibility,

  his inveterate hostility to God,

  the fact that he is "condemned already"

  and that the wrath of a sin-hating God

    is even now abiding upon him!

A better understanding of our depravity by nature—would humble us, and make us see our deep need of using the appointed means of grace.