Sovereign Grace Missionary Baptist Church

1217 Dillon Texarkana, Texas 75501
June 27, 2010

Elder Randy Johnson, Pastor                                   Bro. Ronnie Henderson, Song Director  
Pastor E-Mail: sgmbcpastor@baptistsonline.org             Web Site: www.baptistsonline.org/sgmbc

"Where The Truths Of God’s Word Are Still 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, Grandchildren, and his daughters Liz Janis and Debbie Gray, Derrick & Alecia and sons Coty & Carson Clements, Bryndon Thomas, Frank & Dawana Reigel, Andrew Preston, Helen Maggard, Renee Jackson, Larry Mollette, Larry Mollette II & Family, Kirby Mollette, Kerry Pennington, Kim Butler, Danny & Nita Mollette, Verna Mae Allen, Wendell Henderson, Judy Dunn, Joshua Kidd, Matthew Kidd, Kevin Henderson, Ronnie Henderson Jr., Vickie Sims, Debbie and Morgan Farmer, Jim Stagner, Bro. & Mrs. Hammond, Don & Neil Hammond, Charles Hammond, Eric Hammond, Archie & Barbara Griffin & son Daniel, Bro. & Sister Bob Keller, Wanda Fowler, Kathy Rosinbaum, Brenda Galusha and Jewel, Mary Ramsey, Donna Johnson, Fay Johnson, Luann Reynolds, Bro. & Sis. Curtis Pugh, Timothy and Nathan Fails, Jacob Ramsey, Jim & Linda Meier, Brother David & Sister Anne Shortt, Brother Manuel Seymour & Family, Doris Hammock, Letha Langford, Brother & Sister Kelley Hinson and Kelley Lee, Billy and Jo Hobbs, Jerry Hughes, Sister Nita Bookout and her Niece, Roger Bookout, Pastor G. L. Burr, Melody Carr, Betty, Janie Capps, Scott and Gina Sillivan, Katie Norton, Sadie a child, Imajo Tracy, Sister Jean Dodson and Family, Helen Rowe, Linda Hughes, and Bro. Sergey Mochalov and the Churches in Russia.

A Thought From Pastor Johnson:

Our God Is Sovereign!
“The Predestination of God”
Romans 8:29 “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.”

Last week we looked at the word “foreknow” and we know that “Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.” Acts 15:18. That is everything and anything God has chosen to accomplish throughout the timeline of this world including who He has chosen to save. Now we take a deeper step in proving that point by saying God predestinated all things. The word “predestinate” means - limit in advance – and it comes from the Greek word - proorizō - which occurs 4 other times in the New Testament other than here in Romans 8. Of the six times this word appears in the New Testament 4 of the 6 speaks of God “limiting in advance” those that are going to be saved and the other two also means that. The most hated doctrine of today is the doctrine of limited atonement however just using this one Greek word we see that God says He has limited salvation 4 times and in many other passages He says He has salvation limited, for example in Matthew 22:14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.” We see the general call to go out to the whole world but we see few chosen to salvation. However the religionists like to condemn this doctrine with scriptures that they single out and use out of context to condemn the predestination of God, like John 12:32 “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.” However this can be looked at several ways to explain: (1.) the word men was added by the translators and is not part of the original text, (2.) who are the “all” or even “all men” it is the elect of God. God never promised to call all men of the earth to Him because there are so many lost and will never come to Christ, and if God called those that will die lost then didn’t God fail to save them? If this were true then doesn’t that make God a liar, because He said in Romans 8:14 “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” Or all that are called comes.

Now some say that when God speaks of predestination He is not speaking of those who are going to be save, however He says in Romans 8:29 “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son…” the word “conformed” means - jointly formed or fashioned like unto – so those He predestinated were “fashioned like unto” in the image of His Son Jesus Christ, but would this not have to mean they were saved, being that is the only possible way to be in the image of His Son. So this scripture actually reads “For whom he did foreknow (or chose before hand), he also did predestinate (limit in advance) to be conformed (fashioned like unto) to the image of his Son (or saved)…” I know that many have not been taught these doctrines and if they have been it has been taught as a doctrine of hatefulness; however it is truly a wonderful teaching if one takes the time to learn it. God never has opened salvation to the entire world as most religionist would have us to believe, but rather He has profoundly made the point it is limited to those He has predestinated. Lets notice Ephesians 1:4 - 5 “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: (5.) Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,” Here in verse 5 the very same Greek word is used for “predestinated” when speaking of the “adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself” and this is done “according to the good pleasure of his will,”  not according to our will but His will. Beloved please do not fall into the religionist trap of free-willism because it does not exist.   

Influencing Heaven:

In July 2007 I had to have emergency heart by-pass grafting surgery.  One of my sons (Zach) and his wife (Stephanie) work in the medical field, and with great diligence exercised all their influence to get me the best doctors, best nurses, and best care takers that the hospital had to offer to insure the best outcome possible (humanly speaking).  I watched them quickly put everything together with little to no difficulty because each one with whom they spoke had the utmost love and respect for them.  Out of mutual love and respect with Zach and Stephanie each doctor, each nurse, and each health care specialist was more than eager to respond.  They did not refer to me by name; I was “Zach’s dad!”  That was all that needed to be said.  They all treated me like royalty.  The President of America could not have received better care.  I was “Zach’s dad!”  I wish I could name each and everyone but space does not allot it. 

With profound admiration I watched their love and willingness to pull collectively to achieve a common purpose. This provoked thoughts and questions of just what kind of influence ought believers to have with the Lord Jesus and with the heavenly Father.  James wrote: “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”  (James 5:16)  The word “availeth” carries the idea that the one praying has advantages or benefits with the One to Whom he is praying.  The word “righteous” indicates that he is in a right state of relationship with the Son and the Father.  Therefore, the one who has benefits and an advantage with Jesus is the one who has purposely given himself to develop his spiritual life to conform to the image and commands of Jesus the Christ.  Under the Lordship of Christ the righteous find that he has influence with his Lord, and his Lord unhesitatingly exercises His influence with the Father.  This exercise of influence comes full circle unifying the Father, the Son and the believer with a bond of love and willingness for a common purpose.  The pinnacle of purpose is to bring all honor and glory to the Father in all things.  Singularity of the believer is lost in the unifying. 

Just what could be accomplished in the cause of Christ if every believer strived to have such a fellowship with the Lord as to gain the advantage of His influence before the heavenly Father?  Would it not shake the very foundations of His churches and the world?

By Dr. M. J. Seymour, Sr.

Happy Birthday:

Pastor Randy Johnson – June 27th