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Newsletter for 11/28/2020

May 2008

Provided by Mt. Paran Primitive Baptist Church
and Sorrells Springs Primitive Baptist Church

Psalm 23:2
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

Every time I read this verse I am reminded of the times my dad and I would go to the lake fishing and the wind would cease; causing stillness on the water so that I couldn’t even see a ripple. I thank God for those days when He allowed me to see those beautiful scenes of peace.

In this text David tells us that his Shepherd gives him peace, because it is He that makes him to lie down in green pastures and He that leads beside still waters. There is no question that without Him there is no peace. Why, you ask; because the Bible teaches us that the natural man without God knows not the way of peace (Romans 3:17). In Titus 3:3 we read, “For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.” Just by reading that text I believe we could come to the conclusion that there is no peace that could be known by the natural man without God. This is the reason God is called the God of peace in the letter to the Hebrews 13:20 and one day the entire elect family of God will enjoy completely the peace of God when every one of them are assembled at His throne praising Him for His marvelous grace (Revelation 5:9).

In Isaiah 26:3 we read, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee:” In this text we learn of a peace every child of the King can experience while living here in this world. The peace is not enjoyed by giving our time to the world and its pleasures, but by keeping our minds fixed on Jesus the Great Shepherd of the sheep. In Mark 4:35-41 we find a time when the disciples of the Lord were in a ship on the sea and there arose a great storm of wind and the ship was beat against and full of water. The disciples in fear said to the Lord who was asleep in the hinder part of the ship, “Master, carest thou not that we perish?” And when he arose, He rebuked the wind saying, “Peace, be still.” The Bible tells us that there was a great calm after the Lord rebuked the wind and caused the storm to cease. He then reproved his disciples, asking them, “Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?” The Lord did this for two reasons: 1) The disciples had forgotten that the Lord of glory, ruler of heaven, earth, wind and sea was with them on the ship; and 2) Jesus had already told them in verse 35, “Let us pass over unto the other side”. If the disciples had kept these two things in mind, they would not have been fearful at all.

In John 16:33, Jesus told us “that in this world ye shall have tribulation”. He did not say that we might, but that we shall have tribulation. Jesus also told us “be of good cheer. I have overcome the world” and because of His prosperous labors in the room and stead of his sheep (elect family of God – John 10:11) the entire family of God will make it to the other side. Not only this, but while here on earth He has promised never to leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5, Isaiah 49:14-16). So no matter how large the storm of life, be at peace dear child of God, our Lord reigns and one day we will all look back and say “O, death where is thy sting? O, grave where is thy victory?” (1 Cor 15:55).

Elder Ronnie Loudermilk

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Saturday, June 21, 2008, Services are scheduled to ordain Brother Chris Edwards to the office of deacon. The services are scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m.

Services are held at Park Place Nursing Home, Monroe, every 4th Sunday afternoon at 2:00 p.m.

PRAYER REQUESTS

Sister Cleo Autry
Sister Jean Swords
Sister Nora Haralson
Sister Mary Moss
Brother Mike Puckett
Brother Neal Robertson
Brother Charles Autry
Elder Edward Cagle
Sister Joanne Reeves
and always for each other

SERVICES

Mt. Paran Primitive Baptist Church is located in Monroe, Georgia on Mt. Paran Church Road. Services are held each 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 5th Sunday at 10:30 a.m.
Directions

Sorrells Springs Primitive Baptist Church is located in Monroe, Georgia on Bold Springs Road. Services are held each 4th Sunday at 10:30 a.m.
Directions

For more information, contact Elder Ronnie Loudermilk at
MountParanPBC@gmail.com

March 2008

Provided by Mt. Paran Primitive Baptist Church
and Sorrells Springs Primitive Baptist Church

Psalm 23:1
The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want.

I suppose there is no Bible subject that I love any more than that of the sufficiency of the Lord. When David tells us he shall not want, the cause for this condition is the Lord being his Shepherd.

In the Gospel of John chapter six we read of a time when five thousand besides the women and children were gathered together having nothing to eat. In Matthew 14:15 the disciples tell Jesus to send them away that they may go into the villages and buy themselves victuals. In John 6:5 Jesus asked Philip, “Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” and Philip’s response was that, “Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them”, but the One he spoke to had no insufficiencies. Two hundred pennyworth of bread may not have been enough but the Living Bread (Jesus) that came down from heaven was, because in John 6:12 we read that they were filled.

In Hebrews 10:11,12 we read, “And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God.” When I read this text I am prone to think about the priests of the Old Testament times and how they would offer one sacrifice, only to have to offer another and another. The reason they would have to offer another is the sacrifices that they were offering were never able to put away sins. Hebrews 10:3 says, “But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.” The beginning of verse twelve says, “But this man” and this is none other than Jesus our Lord. When He had made the sacrifice of His own self He was able to sit down because He made a complete and sufficient sacrifice for sins. In John 19:30 Jesus said “It is finished”. When those words came from His blessed lips the sacrifice for the sins of His people was sufficiently paid in full when He died on the cross for them. By this statement I am saying that Jesus needs no help in getting His people to heaven because He has done it all.

In 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 we read about the resurrection of the saints of God on the last day. Paul teaches us in this text that the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God. Then Paul, without any reservation, tells us that the dead in Christ will rise. Paul did not say that Jesus would look for help, but that He Himself would raise the dead and would change those that are alive and remain. In Philippians 3:20, 21 Paul tells us that He is able and when I consider what the Bible teaches me about this great day and all that the Lord will do, how could I consider Him anything other than sufficient?

In conclusion I would like to say not only is the Lord sufficient in all the things previously mentioned but He has also given us a sufficient worship service in the New Testament Church. He has given us a sufficient Bible, the Word of God, and He always has been and always will be a sufficient strength for all His people when they are in time of need.

Elder Ronnie Loudermilk

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Sunday, May 4, 2008, Mt. Paran will hold its annual song service. Services will begin at 10:30 a.m. followed by lunch in the fellowship building. The song service will begin at approximately 1:30 p.m.

Services are held at Park Place Nursing Home, Monroe, every 4th Sunday afternoon at 2:00 p.m.

PRAYER REQUESTS

Sister Cleo Autry
Sister Jean Swords
Sister Nora Haralson
Sister Mary Moss
Brother Mike Puckett
Brother Neal Robertson
Brother Charles Autry
Elder Edward Cagle
Sister Joanne Reeves
and always for each other

SERVICES

Mt. Paran Primitive Baptist Church is located in Monroe, Georgia on Mt. Paran Church Road. Services are held each 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 5th Sunday at 10:30 a.m.
Directions

Sorrells Springs Primitive Baptist Church is located in Monroe, Georgia on Bold Springs Road. Services are held each 4th Sunday at 10:30 a.m.
Directions

For more information, contact Elder Ronnie Loudermilk at
MountParanPBC@gmail.com

February 2008

Provided by Mt. Paran Primitive Baptist Church
and Sorrells Springs Primitive Baptist Church

How Did God Harden Pharaoh’s Heart?

I have always felt and believed that God is not the author of sin and I still feel and believe that is the truth, yet scripture does record both that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart and that Pharaoh hardened his own heart. Since it is God’s inspired word that records it, I sincerely believe both to be true. Here is my explanation for how God hardened Pharaoh’s heart.

First, to lay some ground-rules, let me state up-front, clearly, and plainly that God is not the author of sin. God never made and He never wanted anybody to sin, so God hardening Pharaoh’s heart cannot mean that God made or wanted Pharaoh to sin. God’s very nature is holy meaning He cannot sin and will not sin; therefore, He cannot and will not motivate anyone (not even a wicked non-Elect) to sin. Certainly, God has on occasion turned the evil of men into good but this does not mean He caused the evil to happen.

Second, I feel that this lesson’s primary concern is the sovereignty of God. Yes, we must be careful not to ascribe sin to God, yet we must be careful that we do not take away from the sovereignty of God in His dealings with men. Romans 9:14-24 has as its core doctrinal theme the sovereignty of God and the Apostle Paul uses the occasion of God hardening the heart of Pharaoh to prove this point. God has the right, as the sovereign ruler of the universe, to do with His creation as He sees fit. We cannot and must not gainsay the words of the Apostle Paul that he wrote by Divine inspiration, “Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.” Romans 9:18

Exodus 4:21 says, “And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go.” If Moses had not done all that the Lord had said and in the manner in which God told Moses to do it, Pharaoh’s heart would not have been hardened; therefore, Pharaoh’s heart was not hardened until after Moses came with this basic message, “The LORD God of the Hebrews hath sent me unto thee, saying, Let my people go.”

Herein lies part of the answer to how God hardened Pharaoh’s heart. All God did to harden Pharaoh’s heart was to send a meek and lowly prophet to demand of Pharaoh, the mighty king of Egypt, to let God’s people go. Remember that these people were Pharaoh’s slaves. This “LORD God of the Hebrews” meant nothing to Pharaoh. Pharaoh’s pride was provoked and God, through the pride of Pharaoh, hardened Pharaoh’s heart.

Consider this text from Daniel 5:20, “But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him.” It cut Pharaoh to the heart for Moses to demand of him to let the Israelites go. In Acts 7, when Stephen preached so ably and God was blessing him with such grace to preach, didn’t the same thing happen to those Jews who were listening as did happen to Pharaoh?

I think so. Acts 7:54 says, “When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.” All Stephen did was preach the truth to them just as Moses did to Pharaoh and both the Jews who heard Stephen and Pharaoh who heard Moses had the same basic reaction.

Time and again, Moses came to Pharaoh and essentially said, “Let my people go.” His very presence was a nuisance and agitation to Pharaoh and the more Moses appeared to Pharaoh, the more Pharaoh’s heart was hardened. At one point, Pharaoh told Moses that if he ever saw Moses again, Moses would die that very day. Now notice this text from Proverbs 29:1, “He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.”

The more that Moses came to Pharaoh, the more Pharaoh would harden his heart. In other words, God, through His messenger Moses, reproved Pharaoh and this reproof acted to harden Pharaoh’s heart.

Even after some of the plagues had come, Pharaoh would seem to be ready to let them go, but just as soon as the plague was lifted, Pharaoh would revert back to his hard-hearted position and not let the people go. Even after the death of the first-born, when Pharaoh let the Israelites depart, he still reverted to his old hard-hearted position and gathered his army to go after them.

By this time, Pharaoh’s heart was so hardened by wounded pride and persistent reproof that he sent himself and his whole army into destruction. In this, God received the glory.

In all this, God dealt with Pharaoh in such a way as to harden his heart. God raised up Pharaoh for this very purpose: to show His power in both Pharaoh’s downfall and the deliverance of His people. Pharaoh was a proud vain man and God cut right to the core of his pride. The more God through Moses demanded of Pharaoh, the more obstinate Pharaoh became.

God knew Pharaoh inside and out as only God can know. As it is written in Proverbs 21:1, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.”

God knew the predisposition of Pharaoh, so He sent the very sort of person in Moses, who made the very sort of demand, in the very sort of manner, over the very sort of time-frame, that brought about this very sort of hard-hearted reaction by Pharaoh. In this, Moses is a type of our Lord. Jesus came as the meek and lowly Lamb of God, did no sin, committed no trespass of the Law yet, because of the carnal nature of the chief priests, scribes, and Pharisees, the way He conducted Himself brought about a very predictable response from them.

God was not any more responsible for their crucifying the Son of God than He was for Pharaoh’s hard-hearted actions.

Elder Mike Montgomery
Printed with permission

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Saturday, March 15, 2008 – Faith Primitive Baptist Church, Toccoa, GA Annual Meeting. Services begin at 10:00 a.m. Lunch will be provided.

Sunday, March 30, 2008 – 5th Sunday Service at Mt. Paran; preaching by Elder Gerald Autry. Lunch will be provided.

Services are held at Park Place Nursing Home every 4th Sunday afternoon at 2:00 p.m.

PRAYER REQUESTS

Sister Cleo Autry
Sister Jean Swords
Sister Nora Haralson
Sister Mary Moss
Brother Mike Puckett
Brother Neal Robertson
Brother Charles Autry
Elder Edward Cagle
and always for each other

SERVICES

Mt. Paran Primitive Baptist Church is located in Monroe, Georgia on Mt. Paran Church Road. Services are held each 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 5th Sunday at 10:30 a.m.
Directions

Sorrells Springs Primitive Baptist Church is located in Monroe, Georgia on Bold Springs Road. Services are held each 4th Sunday at 10:30 a.m.
Directions

For more information, contact Elder Ronnie Loudermilk at
MountParanPBC@gmail.com

January 2008  

Provided by Mt. Paran Primitive Baptist Church
and Sorrells Springs Primitive Baptist Church

Psalm 23:1 The Lord is my shepherd.

The twenty-third Psalm is quoted and referred to as much as any Psalm in the Bible. Often we make mention of this beloved Psalm without really paying attention to what it is teaching. In the first portion of the first verse we find at least two declarations. One is declared to be a shepherd and the same one is declared by another to be his shepherd.

If we search the scriptures we will find the person who is the Good, Great and Chief Shepherd. His name is Jesus Christ. In the Gospel of John 10:11, Jesus said Himself that He is the Good Shepherd and He is the Good Shepherd because he knows all His sheep by name, loving them so much He laid down His own precious life for them. In Hebrews 13:20, Jesus is called the Great Shepherd of the sheep and He is the Great Shepherd of the sheep because He is powerful enough to save His sheep from their sins keeping them saved by His own preserving grace. In 1 Peter 5:4, Jesus is called the Chief Shepherd of the sheep because He rules His house (Church) by His word having many under shepherds  (pastors) governed by the same word.  Without any reservation we can call Jesus the Good, Great and Chief Shepherd, and his sheep (elect family of God) are his by grace being chosen in Him before the world began (Ephesians 1:4; 2Timothy 1:9). They belong to Him not by any good work that they have done, but according to his own purpose and grace (Titus 1:5; Psalms 100:3).

But does every child of God claim Him as their shepherd? David in this Psalm not only tells us He is the Shepherd but also claims Him as his Shepherd. One qualification of a good shepherd is that he be a good guide for the sheep. In Isaiah 46:10 we learn that God declares the end from the beginning and when we consider that, we understand the text in Psalm 32:8 “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.” One who knows so much is certainly able to be our guide. Another qualification of a good shepherd is that he be a good protector of the sheep. In Psalm 62:6-7 we read, “He only is my rock and salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength and my refuge, is in God.” And again in Psalm 18:1-3 we read, “I will love thee, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.”

After reading this the only conclusion that I can come to is, every child of God should claim Him as their shepherd, Praying daily; requesting guidance, protection and strength in an obedient life while here on earth, because He is the perfect guide, he is the perfect protector and He is the perfect Shepherd, the spotless Lamb of God, Jesus Christ the Eternal Son of God.

Elder Ronnie B. Loudermilk

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Services are held at Park Place Nursing Home in Monroe, Georgia, every 4th Sunday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. Regular services are held at 10:30 a.m.

PRAYER REQUESTS

Sister Cleo Autry
Sister Jean Swords
Sister Nora Haralson
Sister Mary Moss
Brother Mike Puckett
Brother Neal Robertson
Brother Charles Autry
Elder Edward Cagle
      and always for each other

SERVICES

Mt. Paran Primitive Baptist Church is located in Monroe, Georgia on Mt. Paran Church Road. Services are held each 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 5th Sunday at 10:30 a.m.
Directions

Sorrells Springs Primitive Baptist Church is located in Monroe, Georgia on Bold Springs Road. Services are held each 4th Sunday at 10:30 a.m.
Directions

For more information, contact Elder Ronnie Loudermilk at
MountParanPBC@gmail.com