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

April 29, 2018          

 Newsletter Number 667

Brother Randy Johnson, Pastor                   Brother James Thomas, Song Leader

Pastor E-Mail: pastor@sgmbaptist.com                   Pastors Blog: sgmbcpastor.blogspot.com  

Churches 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, Jim and Linda Meier, Ronnie Elam, Bonnie From Ohio, Brother Dan Sullivan the work in Thailand, Brother Raul and the work in Romania, Bro. Sergey Mochalov and the Churches in Russia.

From Our Pastor:

I Love You For The Truth’s sake.

“For the truth's sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever.” 2 John 1:2

What a small but powerful little book God has given us through John. I believe there are two great truths being spoken of, however they are one in the same. I believe John is talking about Scriptural truth, but also he is talking about Jesus Christ. It is a wonderful thing to dwell with another believer in Jesus Christ. However, it is a greater blessing to find another believer in scriptural truth. It is a hard thing in this world to find Sovereign Grace believers that are standing on the truth anymore. Christians act as though the teaching about a Sovereign God has disappeared from the bible. However, let me assure you that it has not, God is as sovereign as He was 6,000 years ago when He created the world and all that is in it. The bible is “A TRUTH” it is not many truths, or mixed truths, it is simply one single truth. God is one, one mind, one act, one Saviour, and one truth. Since the bible is “The Word of God” then it is truth just as God is truth. “… let God be true, but every man a liar…” Romans 3:4 there are no truth outside of God. The other truth is Jesus Christ “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6 This is the Truth that dwells in us and shall be with us forever, Jesus Christ. It is not assured that everything we believe scripturally is absolute truth and we are not assured that we will never change from it. However, the one single assurance we do have is Jesus Christ Who has promised never to leave us nor to forsake us. “For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.” Psalms 37:28. The Lord will not forsake us, even if (God forbid) we should ever forsake Him.

John went on to talk about another glorious truth in 2 John 1:4 “I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father.” This verse is talking about us walking in the truths of God Holy Scripture, walking in the commandments of God’s word. Jesus taught us many commandments, but He said one is greater than all, “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. (13) Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. John 15:12 – 13 There is not greater love than a Christian willing to lay down their life for other believers. This is the greatest love and the greatest example of God’s love in us. God went on to say, “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” 1 John 3:16 the word “perceive” means – absolute proof – meaning the proof is in the very act of loving the brethren so much that we are will without doubt to do anything for other Christians. Folks, this is acting for truth’s sake, (1.) because Jesus loved us so much that He did, and (2.) we ought to be walking like Him.

Folks don’t get tied up with yourself so much that you forget, you are what you are by God’s grace. I think sometimes Christians are looking for ways of separation more than they are looking for ways of union. I will promise you not two people believes every single thing alike, and it you are only looking for carbon copies of yourself, you will eventually find yourself very alone. If Christians are not looking for ways of fellowship they are walking outside of Gods will in that. The real truth dwells in us all, all who are saved by the grace of God through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Therefore, to reject fellowship with another believer is to be outside of God’s will. God cannot reject Himself and if He is in us then we ought not reject each other. God never said we can only love the believers who is in our “circle” or who agrees with our doctrine. God told us, Jesus told us, we ought to be willing to laydown our life for our fellow Christian. He never told us to ask “what do you believe” before you do. The “Truth” that is Jesus Christ Himself is in us all that are believers in Jesus Christ, and to reject another believer is to reject Jesus Christ Himself. “And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.” 1 John 3:23 But the love is greater, and the fellowship is sweeter when we both believe in the truth of the scriptures. 

ZEAL WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE

By: Elder Curtis Pugh (now in glory)

   Often zeal is a good thing. Zeal or enthusiasm for good things is to be commended. Being a “deadhead” on the job or as a parent or in service for the Lord makes life a burden. In the matter of our relationship with Him Christ said: “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent,” (Revelation 3:19). Not only do lost sinners need to repent, Christians also are guilty of sins daily. Walking with God is a matter of daily repentance.

   But zeal or enthusiasm is a bad thing when it is coupled with ignorance. Two very young boys wanted to please their father. While he was at work they busied themselves in the garage with house paint, coating the family car a new color. They had zeal for a thing, but in their ignorance their enthusiasm caused them to do something harmful and costly. In religious matters zeal, coupled with ignorance, does much harm. We are well aware that there are religious zealots in this world who in their zeal beat their wives, mutilate their daughters and murder those who do not convert. The thief also may be zealous when he comes to steal and to destroy.

    In Paul's day the Jews had great enthusiasm for the Old Testament Law. They had so much zeal for the Law that they missed Christ. Paul wrote of them: “For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth,” (Romans 10:2-4). Paul said that the righteousness which makes one acceptable to God is in Christ. He is the end of the Law for righteousness. Christ taught that the Old Testament Law-system was done away with when John the Baptist began to preach. He said, “The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man [individual people] presseth into it,” (Luke 16:16).

   And yet a great many people, some of them claiming to be following Christ, are busy trying to establish their own righteousness by their attempt at keeping the Law. (Usually they pick and choose what parts of the Old Testament Law they want to keep.) But no man ever kept the Law. It was decided by the apostles and elders long ago that converts to Christ should not have the Law imposed upon them. Peter said regarding the Gentile converts and the Law, “Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they,” (Acts 15:10-11). “...By the works of the law shall no flesh be justified,” (Galatians 2:16). Be zealous, but according to truth!

Church News:

The monthly churches business meeting for May will be today at 4:00 before service. We need to talk about our web site and our upcoming Bible Conference.