Sovereign Grace Missionary Baptist Church

"Where The Truths Of God’s Word Have Been Taught For More Than Fifty-Six Years”

1217 Dillon Texarkana, Texas 75501

January 28, 2018          

 Newsletter Number 655

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, 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, Sister Ann McSwain, Elaine Sparks, James daughter’s mother-in-law, 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:

Listen To The Question, Listen To The Answer.

"And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? (31) And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house." Acts 16:30-31

The question is an age-old question, and has been asked by every saved sinner, what must I do to be saved? While many ask this question, not too many know the true answer to the question. God has over and over again in His word answered this question and still lost people try to answer it and always get the answer wrong. This is the most important question a person will ask in their life, and the answer must be correct. This is the most important work we as Pastors have, and churches alike. The last thing Jesus told the apostles was to “…Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” Mark 16:15 not to a few, not to the local church, not to the community, not even to your state, but to every soul you can find to preach it too. While it is our job or work to feed the sheep, it should also be our greatest passion to get the gospel to every living soul that will listen. There are so many out there who take their gospel to the world, but that is useless. As pastors we must consider this witness to be our most important work. We absolutely cannot allow this question to weaken or get frustrated because that God is not saving as many. We must press forward as though it is as important as it is, because it is. Sinners must hear the truth about salvation. Not everyone who says they are saved, truly are saved. There are so many who have been led down the satanic path of lies, and the results are the same, they are still lost. God says they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. Romans 10:2 People must be made aware that salvation is only in Jesus Christ. The question asked by this jailer was “…what must I do to be saved?” and the answer given by the Apostle Paul and Silas was bold, true, and exact “…Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved…” there were no play with words, no trickery, no fancy theology, just the plain and simple truth. Jesus Christ is still the Saviour of mankind and no one can ever see or enter the kingdom of God without going thru Jesus Christ and Him alone. Jesus said in John 5:39-40 “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. (40) And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.” This is exactly what Jesus told Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews in John chapter 3. People will flock to hear false prophets, phony preachers, and outrageously biblically wrong churches but will not turn to Jesus Christ for true salvation. But, as men of truth we must keep doing our work, feeding the sheep of God and preaching the gospel message to anyone we can in the entire world. It is still the single most important message in the world, and let us not ever treat it as anything less. Jesus said in John 3:18 “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” As Pastors this is the main thought we must keep in our minds, that without the belief of Jesus Christ in a sinner’s heart, they are already condemned. While we cannot saved them, they will not be saved without hearing the gospel message.  Romans 10:14 “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?” That is a proclaimer who heralds or cries it to the top of our voice for all to hear. Shout it brethren, shout it from the pulpits, shout it from the housetops, shout it from the mountain tops, SHOUT IT! And please remember, it is the single most important message you will ever preach. 

The Knife Of The Heavenly Surgeon:

By Charles Spurgeon

"This sickness is not unto death." John 11:4

From our Lord's words, we learn that there is a limit to sickness. In all sickness, the Lord says to the waves of pain, "Hitherto shall you go—but no further!" His fixed purpose is not the destruction of His people—but the instruction of His people. Wisdom hangs up the thermometer at the furnace mouth—and regulates the heat!

1. The limit is encouragingly comprehensive. The God of providence has limited the time, manner, intensity and effects of all our sicknesses. Each throb is decreed, each sleepless hour predestinated, each relapse ordained, each depression of spirit foreknown, and each sanctifying result eternally purposed. Nothing great or small escapes the ordaining hand of Him who numbers the hairs of our head!

2. This limit is wisely adjusted to our strength, to the end designed, and to the grace apportioned. Affliction does not come by 'chance'—the weight of every stroke of God's rod—is accurately measured. He who made no mistakes in balancing the clouds, and measuring out the heavens—commits no errors in measuring out the ingredients which compose the medicine of souls. We cannot suffer too much—nor be relieved too late!

3. The limit is tenderly appointed. The knife of the heavenly Surgeon never cuts deeper than is absolutely necessary. "He does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men." A mother's heart cries, "Spare my child!" but no mother is more compassionate than our gracious God. When we consider how self-willed we are—it is a wonder that we are not driven with a sharper bit!

The thought is full of consolation—that He who has fixed the bounds of our habitation, has also fixed the bounds of our tribulation.

Looking to this Lamb!

By William Mason

"Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" John 1:29

To continually behold this Lamb of God—is life to our souls, and death to our sins! Sin cannot terrify with its guilt, nor prevail in its power—while the heart is looking to this Lamb!

Thus to behold—is to be happy. Thus to look—is to be holy. May this, O my soul, be your daily employment below, until you behold the Lamb in the midst of the throne above! Astonishing mystery!

Thanks to the gracious Father—for the gift of this precious Lamb! Thanks to this holy Lamb—for bearing and taking away sin! Thanks to the loving Spirit—for showing this Lamb to

poor sinners and myself!

"I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne!" Rev. 5:6