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Sovereign Grace Missionary Baptist Church 1217 Dillon Texarkana, Texas 75501 March 09, 2008 Elder Randy Johnson, Pastor Bro. Ronnie Henderson, Song Director Pastor E-Mail: pastor.sgmbc@countrybaptist.org Web Site: www.countrybaptist.org/sgmbc "Where the truths of God’s word are taught" |
| 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, Virgil & Alice Hoskins, Andrew Preston, Helen Maggard, Renee Jackson, Larry & Linda Mollette, Larry Mollette II & Family, Shawn Bradford, Kerry Pennington, Kim Butler, Danny & Nita Mollette, Verna Mae Allen, Nita Bookout, Justin Bookout, Mrs. White, Thomas White, Wendell Henderson, Judy Dunn her parents Elmer & Francis Harvey, Joshua Kidd, Matthew Kidd, Donnie Henderson, Kevin Henderson, Rosalie Graves, Joe Henderson, Jim Stagner, Bro. & Mrs. Hammond, Don Hammond, Archie & Barbara Griffin & son Daniel, Larry Platt, Edna Garvin, Bro. George & Lena Kluth, Brother & Sister Bob Keller, Wanda Fowler, Kathy Rosinbaum, Brother Keith & Susie Kennison, Brenda Galusha, Mary Ramsey, Donna Johnson, Fay Johnson, Bobby Walker, Luann Reynolds, Bro. & Sis. Pugh, Timothy Fails, Jim & Linda Meier, Ernie & Lynn Ashworth, Brother David & Sister Anne Shortt, Brother David & Susan Hitt, Manuel Seymour, Zach Seymour, Doris Hammock, Robert Goodwin, Letha Langford, Billy Upson, Leacho Tittle, Cody, Bro. Sergey Mochalov and the Churches in Russia. |
| A Thought From C.
H. Spurgeon: Home Blessings He fears the LORD, and therefore he comes under the divine protection even as to the roof which covers himself and his family. His home is an abode of love, a school of holy training, and a place of heavenly light. In it there is a family altar where the name of the LORD is daily had in reverence. Therefore the LORD blesses his habitation. It may be a humble cottage or a lordly mansion; but the LORD's blessing comes because of the character of the inhabitant and not because of the size of the dwelling. That house is most blest in which the master and mistress are Godfearing people; but a son or daughter or even a servant may bring a blessing on a whole household. The LORD often preserves, prospers, and provides for a family for the sake of one or two in it, who are "just" persons in His esteem, because His grace has made them so. Beloved, let us have Jesus for our constant guest even as the sisters of Bethany had, and then we shall be blessed indeed. Let us look to it that in all things we are just -- in our trade, in
our judgment of others, in our treatment of neighbors, and in our own
personal character. A just God cannot bless unjust transactions. |
| A Thought From Our
Pastor: Unselfish Christians 1 John 4:4 "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world." How often do we need to hear these blessed words "greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world." Greater is our Lord and Blessed Saviour than the evil one (Satan). The evil one seems to be working double overtime these days, and causing as much havoc as he possibly can in our daily lives, as well as our church life. We indeed need to remember daily where the Lord is because He is in us who know Him. Every day brings new trial from Satan for the child of God who is in the Lord’s will. Trials and temptations seeking to separate our fellowship with our blessed Lord and Saviour. The world is full of activities, and temptations of all sorts to cause us not to read our bibles, to cause us not to go to church, to cause us not to pray, and to cause us not to witness for the Lord or invite someone to church. The question is, are we going to allow the evil one to win the battle? It truly is our choice and the choice we make will affect our relationship with the Lord. The Lord is our strength and indeed greater is He that is in us and if we fight the good fight of the temptations of Satan we will win because greater is our Lord. We do not have to allow Satan to win the battle he so much seeks to win. The battle can be won, first, because of the greatness of the Lord and second, because we were more interested in our service to the Lord than to our own self benefit. We win because we always put the Lord ahead of everything and everyone else. Our biggest defeat is that we allowed Satan to tempt us in ways that we become selfish. We often think "what benefits me" we often vote on who will best help me instead of who is best in advancing the glory of the Lord. We worry more about a government handout than about stopping abortion. We are by nature a selfish people and this is something that must be over come and can be through the Lord’s strength if we truly have a desire to over come it. A non-selfish Christian is one who truly has put away selfish acts and has humbled himself in all his ways and this person has bought great rewards with the Lord. 2 Chronicles 7:14 "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." This is indeed a lot of great promises from a Lord who can deliver as He promises, however the requirement is that we become unselfish and humble ourselves before the Lord. |
| Thought for the
week: WHAT IS
A WORSHIP SERVICE? It is Sunday. A crowd has gathered at the church for the regular weekly meeting. The service begins with a song or two and the pastor takes the floor - it is time to welcome the people. "Glad to see Mrs. Gumbert out today - we surely missed you. Deacon Arbuckle, are you feeling better after your hospital stay? Brother Darby has his sister visiting with him today..." ad infinitum. After several minutes of this, he opens the scripture and reads, following with his pastoral prayer. Another hymn, and next - -announcements! "Monday, the Boy Scouts meet. Tuesday, the missionary society has a luncheon. Wednesday, prayer meeting - our attendance has been falling off lately; let's all turn out this Wednesday. Thursday, visitation night - ya know, when we go they come. Friday, the deacons' board meets. Saturday, we clean the church. And don't forget next Sunday - everyone bring one...etc., etc." When all else is done and the preacher finally gets around to preaching, everyone is looking at the clock - it's time to go home! What do they call this meeting? A "worship service!" But was it a worship service? Christian worship is "the act of paying divine honour to God." Who is honored in the "service" described above? Mrs. Gumbert, Deacon Arbuckle, Brother Darby's sister, the Boy Scouts, the missionary society...man, man, man! The words used in the Old Testament Scripture for "worship" speak of a "bowing or falling down." But in the typical "worship service" there is a spirit of exaltation of man, a constant standing up, moving around (to "shake hands with all the visitors"), looking about. Do these things suggest a frame of humility before the Almighty? In Christian worship, only God is praised and the flesh is abased. In the common "worship service" there is some praise for God (in hymns, prayers, and sermon), but a strange praise is added - to the flesh (insongs, promotions, entertainments, announcements, recognitions, and more). Worship is the response of a grateful heart toward God. It is difficult to maintain such an attitude when the service is interrupted by songs that edify the flesh, speeches that are aimed at the motivation of the flesh, and entertainments and recognitions for the gratification of the flesh. A real worship service must be directed toward nothing but God's glory. Many "worship services" are not much more than religious pep rallies with the motive of larger crowds, bigger budgets, more baptisms (they aren't called conversions anymore, maybe because we know we are baptizing the unconverted), and more impressive numerical reports. Oh, that men would WORSHIP GOD! By: Author Unknown |