Sovereign Grace Missionary Baptist Church 1217 Dillon Texarkana, Texas 75501 February 09, 2014 Newsletter Number 451 Brother Randy Johnson, Pastor Brother Ronnie Henderson, Song Director Pastor E-Mail: pastor@sgmbaptist.com Web Site: www.sgmbaptist.com "Where The Truths Of God’s Word Have Been Taught For More Than Fifty Years”

You Were Asked To 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, Junior Baldridge, Frankie Baldridge and daughter, Buckie Thompson, Frank & Sonya Trusty, Frank & Dawana Reigel, Andrew Preston, Larry & Martha Mollette, Larry Mollette II & Family, Kerry Pennington, Kim Poole, Danny & Nita Mollette, Robert Riggs, Wendell Henderson, Judy Dunn, Martha Gray, 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 & Barbara Griffin, Bro. & Sister Bob Keller, Mary Ramsey, Donna Johnson, Fay Johnson, James and Luann Reynolds, Timothy and Nathan Fails, Jacob Ramsey, Jerry Hughes, Sister Nita Bookout, Teresa Bookout, Pastor G. L. Burr, Melody Carr, Janie Capps, Imajo Tracy, Linda Hughes, Roy Lemmon, Rosie Tomlin, Pat Abercrombie, Donna Jones, Dale Trahan, Ricky and Margaret McCoy, Brother David O’Neal, Diane Thomas, Gina Peel, James and Lynn Tomlin, Brother Kelley and Sister Hinson, Robert, Megan Whitaker, Manual Seymour, Sr., Brother Jerry and Sister Jean Dodson, Brother Curtis Pugh, Brother Dan Sullivan and the work in Thailand, Brother Raul and the work in Romania, and Bro. Sergey Mochalov and the Churches in Russia.

From Our Pastor: What Does Predestination Mean? "Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself..." Ephesians 1:5 This week we want to look at a word in the Bible and that word is "Predestination". First, I believe it would be best to get to know the word and what it means and then we will see how the scripture uses the word. The Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words defines the word predestination as - to foreknow; it has special reference to the person's foreknown by God. - However, it does not only refer to persons but to everything in existence also. A.H. Strong's defines it this way - to limit in advance - but he also has it defined - to be marked out beforehand -. Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament says - To decide beforehand; God decreeing from eternity; and He added to foreordain, appoint beforehand. - With this being said, we must conclude that "predestination" means that God foreknew and what He foreknew He had ordained it to be, and what He ordained to be He also brought it about in order to not be wrong. Now we want to look at another scripture "Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world." Acts 15:18 Therefore we must conclude that if God predetermined people, things and events, then He must have also known all this before the creation of the world. Now we want to add one more scripture, "God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?" Numbers 23:19 If known unto God are all His works before the foundation of the world and if God has foreordained all thing or predestinated all things then it must be concluded that God will not change His mind, He will not because He cannot! If God is Omniscience then He cannot change, can He? If God has already predestinated everything then it must happen as He foreordained it without fail. Now in out text scripture Ephesians 1:5 it clearly says that God has "...predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself..." meaning that God has pre-determined us to be His children by Jesus Christ, which is exactly how one becomes a child of God. If God is the "potter" and man is the "clay" then can't He mold one as He chooses? Some people want to talk about our will and they say "God can't change our will" but if God does not change our will then it will never be changed. God does not function on chance, therefore He must bring conclusion to all things. Ephesians 1:5 concludes with "... according to the good pleasure of his will," which is why He has predestinated and brought about everything, because it has pleased Him, even delivering His blessed Son Jesus Christ to the cross. People want to look at what pleases man, but God is not one who desires to please man, He desires to please only himself. People will ask, "why do we ask God if His mind is already predetermined?" Because He wants us to visit with Him. We are not going to change Gods mind or will because we pray, but we pray because He has commanded us too. The things of God do not have to make sense to mankind because man only knows what God manifest to him. This is why science does not have to conclude what God has done. This is how the world can be six thousand years old rather than billions as the scientist believes. God owes man nothing; therefore, He can confuse them if He chooses too. People believe God owes them things like explanations, or proof, but He owes man nothing, He does not have to prove anything. God does not have to make things fair and right in man's sight; therefore, He does not owe it to every person to allow them the opportunity to be saved. Besides God said if salvation was our choice we would never choose Him. "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: (11.) There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God." Romans 3:10 - 11

For Our Weekly Meditation: Words in Season (Part 5)"The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the LORD, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green!" Psalm 92:12-14 The palm tree, to which God's people are in this psalm compared, is remarkable for its lengthened and increasing fruitfulness. The best dates are said to be gathered when it has reached a hundred years. How beautiful an emblem of the aged believer, growing in grace and maturing in holiness to the close of his earthly existence! Each day, each year, added to his life — adds to the loveliness and perfection of his Christian virtues. His character has a mellowness and sweetness, which it lacked in earlier seasons. He is ripening for Heaven. In knowledge, in wisdom, in love, in humility, in gentleness, in patience, in peace, in usefulness, in happiness — he is steadily and constantly advancing. He is filled with the Spirit, and therefore brings forth the fruits of the Spirit. Is this portraiture of an aged Christian yours, reader? Alas, it does not belong to all who profess and call themselves by the Savior's name. Nay, it may be feared that there are some, really and manifestly his, to whom it bears but little resemblance. They have long been "planted" in the house of the Lord — but they do not appear to "flourish" in the courts of our God; and as years augment, they seem to imagine that the infirmities of old age are excuses for their little fruitfulness. But they certainly never gathered such an idea from God's Word, nor rightly studied and pleaded his promises to themselves. Follow not their example. Rest not satisfied with past attainments. Strive to glorify God more than you have ever yet done. Let your last days be your best days; your last fruit, the richest. "And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; that you may approve things that are excellent; that you may be sincere and without offence until the day of Christ; being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God." "How beautiful to see The clustered fruit upon the bending tree! Yet lovelier still the graces which adorn The soul that's Heaven-born. And age does not diminish — but increase The precious fruits of love, and joy, and peace, And gentleness, and patience; at life's close Each Christian virtue more luxuriant grows." By: Anonymous

Church News: Happy Birthday Brother Timothy Fails Wednesday February 12th Happy Birthday Sister Dawana Reigel Saturday February 15th