{"id":5738,"date":"2020-06-21T11:46:39","date_gmt":"2020-06-21T11:46:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/?p=5738"},"modified":"2020-06-21T11:46:39","modified_gmt":"2020-06-21T11:46:39","slug":"bulletin-edition-june-2020-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/?p=5738","title":{"rendered":"Bulletin Edition June 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By His wounds we are\nhealed<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(J. C. Philpot, “Steps\nof Thankful Praise” 1865)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sin has thoroughly diseased\nus,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

and poisoned our very blood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sin has diseased our\nunderstanding, so<\/p>\n\n\n\n

as to disable it from\nreceiving the truth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sin has diseased our\nconscience, so as to make it<\/p>\n\n\n\n

dull and heavy, and\nundiscerning of right and wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sin has diseased our\nimagination, polluting it<\/p>\n\n\n\n

with every idle, foolish,\nand licentious fancy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sin has diseased our memory,\nmaking it swift to<\/p>\n\n\n\n

retain what is evil, slow to\nretain what is good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sin has diseased our\naffections, perverting<\/p>\n\n\n\n

them from all that is\nheavenly and holy, and<\/p>\n\n\n\n

fixing them on all that is\nearthly and vile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“But He was pierced for\nour transgressions, He<\/p>\n\n\n\n

was crushed for our\niniquities; the punishment<\/p>\n\n\n\n

that brought us peace was\nupon Him, and by<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His wounds we are\nhealed.” Isaiah 53:5<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hell is full of the\nDivine holiness!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Winslow, “Holiness,\nthe Fruit of the Chastening of Love”)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hell is full of the Divine\nholiness; holiness<\/p>\n\n\n\n

in the manifestation of\njustice; holiness in<\/p>\n\n\n\n

its most glorious exercise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How fearfully are the lost\nnow learning this truth!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Think it not a trifling\nmatter, unconverted reader,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

to look into the bottomless\npit, and to know that<\/p>\n\n\n\n

there is but a step and you\nare there! You walk to<\/p>\n\n\n\n

the end of the treacherous\nplank, and you are gone!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

O solemn thought! but one\nstep between you and<\/p>\n\n\n\n

the quenchless flame! but\none step between you<\/p>\n\n\n\n

and endless torment!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Throughout eternity the lost\nsoul will be testifying<\/p>\n\n\n\n

to this truth: “God is\nholy; I was a sinner; I rejected<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His salvation, I turned my\nback upon His gospel,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I despised His Son, I hated\nGod Himself, I lived in<\/p>\n\n\n\n

my sins, I loved my sins, I\ndied in my sins, and now<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am lost! to all eternity\nlost! And God is righteous<\/p>\n\n\n\n

in my condemnation!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Better an ounce of divine\ngrace!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spurgeon, “Daniel’s\nUndaunted Courage”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Better to pine with Lazarus\nthan feast<\/p>\n\n\n\n

with Dives, for the love of\nGod more<\/p>\n\n\n\n

than compensates for\ntemporary<\/p>\n\n\n\n

disadvantages. Better an\nounce of<\/p>\n\n\n\n

divine grace than a ton of\nworldly goods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What makes the children\nof God so strange?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(J. C. Philpot, “The\nPrecious Trial of Faith”, 1865)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“To God’s elect,\nstrangers in the world.” 1 Peter 1:1<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strangers!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What makes the children of\nGod so strange?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The grace of God which calls\nthem out of this wretched<\/p>\n\n\n\n

world. Every man who carries\nthe grace of God in his<\/p>\n\n\n\n

bosom is necessarily, as\nregards the world, a stranger<\/p>\n\n\n\n

in heart, as well as in\nprofession, and life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Abraham was a stranger in\nthe land of Canaan;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

as Joseph was a stranger in\nthe palace of Pharaoh;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

as Moses was a stranger in\nthe land of Egypt;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

as Daniel was a stranger in\nthe court of Babylon;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

so every child of God is\nseparated by grace,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

to be a stranger in this\nungodly world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And if indeed we are to come\nout from it and to<\/p>\n\n\n\n

be separate, the world must\nbe as much a strange<\/p>\n\n\n\n

place to us; for we are\nstrangers to . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

its views,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

its thoughts,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

its desires,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

its prospects,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

its anticipations,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

in our daily walk,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

in our speech,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

in our mind,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

in our spirit,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

in our judgment,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

in our affections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We will be strangers from .\n. .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

the world’s company,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

the world’s maxims,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

the world’s fashions,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

the world’s spirit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“They confessed that\nthey were strangers<\/p>\n\n\n\n

and pilgrims on the\nearth.” Hebrews 11:13<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These scars!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Charles Spurgeon)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Then I saw a Lamb,\nlooking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne!”\nRevelation 5:6<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why should our exalted Lord\nappear in heaven \u2014 with His wounds? The wounds of Jesus are \u2014 His glories, His\njewels, His sacred ornaments. To the eye of the believer, Jesus is lovely,\nbecause He is “white and ruddy”; white with innocence, and ruddy with\nHis own blood. We see Him as the Lily of matchless purity \u2014 and as the Rose\ncrimsoned with His own gore. Christ is lovely in His life and His teaching \u2014\nbut oh! there never was such a matchless Christ as He who hung upon the cross!\nThere we behold all His beauties in perfection, all His attributes developed,\nall His love drawn out, all His character expressed!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beloved, the wounds of Jesus\nare far more lovely in our eyes \u2014 than all the splendor and pomp of kings! The\nthorny crown is more attractive than any imperial diadem. Jesus wears the\nappearance of a slain Lamb \u2014 as His court dress in which He wooed our souls,\nand redeemed them by His complete atonement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nor are these only the\nornaments of Christ \u2014 they are the trophies of His love and of His victory! He\nhas redeemed for Himself a great multitude whom no man can number \u2014 and these\nscars are the memorials of the fight! Ah! if Christ delights to retain the\nthought of His sufferings for His people \u2014 how precious should His wounds be to\nus!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Behold how every wound\nof His,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A precious balm distills,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which heals the scars that\nsin had made,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And cures all mortal ills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those wounds are mouths that\npreach His grace;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ensigns of His love;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The seals of our expected\nbliss,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In paradise above!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

False faith!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Don Fortner)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a false faith in\nwhich multitudes are confidently resting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a false faith by\nwhich multitudes are deceived and will perish for ever in Hell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A false faith may be greatly\nenlightened and knowledgeable in gospel truth (Heb. 6:4).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A false faith excites the\naffections (Stony Ground Hearers).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A false faith reforms the\noutward life (The Pharisees).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A false faith may speak very\nwell of Christ (The Jews).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A false faith confesses sin\n(Saul).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A false faith may humble\nitself in sackcloth and ashes (Ahab).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A false faith may repent\n(Esau – Judas).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A false faith may diligently\nperform religious works (The Pharisees).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A false faith may be very\ncharitable and generous (Ananias).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A false faith may tremble at\nthe Word of God (Felix).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A false faith may experience\nmuch in religion (Heb. 6:1-4).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A false faith may enjoy\ngreat religious privileges (Lot’s wife).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A false faith may preach,\nperform miracles, and cast out demons (Matt. 7:23).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A false faith may attain\nhigh office in the church (Diotrephes).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A false faith may walk with\ngreat preachers (Demas was Paul’s companion).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A false faith may be\npeaceful and carnally secure (The Five Foolish Virgins).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A false faith may even\npersevere and hold out until the day of judgment (Matt. 7:22-23).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you have the faith of\nGod’s elect, it will bear examination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you do not, if you are\nresting in a false faith, you need to be awakened so that you may flee to\nChrist in true faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bitten by this serpent’s\ntooth<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(J. C. Philpot, “The\nDestruction through Death<\/p>\n\n\n\n

of Him Who Had the Power of\nDeath” 1858)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No man has ever sounded the\ndepths of the fall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The children of God have\nindeed discoveries of the<\/p>\n\n\n\n

evil of sin. And they have\nsuch views at times of<\/p>\n\n\n\n

the desperate wickedness and\nawful depravity of<\/p>\n\n\n\n

human nature, that they seem\nas if filled with<\/p>\n\n\n\n

unspeakable horror at the\nhideous enormity of<\/p>\n\n\n\n

the corruption that works in\ntheir carnal mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But no man has ever seen, as\nno man ever can see,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

in this time-state, what sin\nis to its full extent, and<\/p>\n\n\n\n

as it will be hereafter\ndeveloped in the depths of hell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We may indeed in our own\nexperience see something<\/p>\n\n\n\n

of its commencement; but we\ncan form little idea of<\/p>\n\n\n\n

its progress, and still less\nof its termination. For sin<\/p>\n\n\n\n

has this peculiar feature\nattending it, that it ever<\/p>\n\n\n\n

spreads and spreads until it\ninvolves everything<\/p>\n\n\n\n

that it touches in utter\nruin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We may compare it in this\npoint of view to the<\/p>\n\n\n\n

venom-fang of a serpent.\nThere are serpents of<\/p>\n\n\n\n

so venomous a kind, as for\ninstance the Cobra<\/p>\n\n\n\n

de Capello, or hooded snake,\nthat the introduction<\/p>\n\n\n\n

of the minutest portion of\nvenom from their poison<\/p>\n\n\n\n

tooth will in a few hours\nconvert all the fluids of<\/p>\n\n\n\n

the body into a mass of\nputrefaction. A man shall<\/p>\n\n\n\n

be in perfect health one\nhour, and bitten by this<\/p>\n\n\n\n

serpent’s tooth shall in the\nnext, be a loathsome<\/p>\n\n\n\n

mass of rottenness and\ncorruption. Such is sin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The introduction of sin into\nthe nature of Adam at<\/p>\n\n\n\n

the fall was like the\nintroduction of poison from the<\/p>\n\n\n\n

fang of a deadly serpent\ninto the human body. It at<\/p>\n\n\n\n

once penetrated into his\nsoul and body, and filled<\/p>\n\n\n\n

both with death and\ncorruption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Or, to use a more scriptural\nfigure, sin may be<\/p>\n\n\n\n

compared to the disease of\nleprosy, which usually<\/p>\n\n\n\n

began with a “bright\nspot,” or “rising in the skin”,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

scarcely perceptible, and\nyet spread and spread<\/p>\n\n\n\n

until it enveloped every\nmember, and the whole<\/p>\n\n\n\n

body becoming a mass of\nputrefying hideous<\/p>\n\n\n\n

corruption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Or sin may be compared to a\ncancer, which begins<\/p>\n\n\n\n

perhaps with a little lump\ncausing a slight itching,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

but goes on feeding upon the\npart which it attacks,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

until the patient dies worn\nout with pain and suffering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now if sin be . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

this venom fang,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

this spreading leprosy,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

this loathsome cancer;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

if its destructive power be\nso great that, unless<\/p>\n\n\n\n

arrested and healed, it will\ndestroy body and soul<\/p>\n\n\n\n

alike in hell, the remedy\nfor it, if remedy there be,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

must be as great as the\nmalady. Thus if there be . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

a cure for sin,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

a remedy for the fall,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

a deliverance from the wrath\nto come,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

it must be at least as full\nand as complete<\/p>\n\n\n\n

as the ruin which sin has\nentailed upon us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The man who has slight,\nsuperficial views and feelings<\/p>\n\n\n\n

of sin will have equally\nslight and superficial views of<\/p>\n\n\n\n

the atonement made for sin.\nThe groans of Christ will<\/p>\n\n\n\n

never sound in his ears as\nthe dolorous groans of an<\/p>\n\n\n\n

agonizing Lord; the\nsufferings of Christ will never be<\/p>\n\n\n\n

opened up to his soul as the\nsorrows of Immanuel, God<\/p>\n\n\n\n

with us; the death of Christ\nwill never be viewed by him,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

as the blood shedding of the\ndarling Son of God. While<\/p>\n\n\n\n

he has such slight,\nsuperficial views of the malady, his<\/p>\n\n\n\n

views of the remedy will be\nequally slight and superficial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As we are led down into a\nspiritual knowledge of self<\/p>\n\n\n\n

and sin, so we are led up\ninto a gracious knowledge<\/p>\n\n\n\n

of the Lord Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By suffering all the\npenalties of our sin, Jesus redeems<\/p>\n\n\n\n

us from the lowest hell and\nraises us up to the highest<\/p>\n\n\n\n

heaven–empowering poor\nworms of earth to soar above<\/p>\n\n\n\n

the skies and live forever\nin the presence of Him who<\/p>\n\n\n\n

is a consuming fire!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“And she will have a\nson, and you are to name Him<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jesus, for He will save His\npeople from their sins.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Matthew 1:21<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The wheels of divine\njustice grind<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

slowly; but they grind to\npowder.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be Warned!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a day of reckoning\nto come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Soon you too must do\nbusiness with God himself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The God of the Bible is the\nGod of Justice and of Judgment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. The Judgment of God is\nSure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. The Judgment of God will\nbe Sudden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. The Judgment of God is\nJust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. The Judgment of God is\nEndless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. The Judgment of God will\nCause No Sorrow to the Redeemed. (Rev. 19:1-6).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Your Religion will not\nsave you from The Judgment of God (Matt. 7:22-23).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. The Only One who can save\nyou from the Judgment of God is Jesus, who bore the<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Judgment of God for Sinners!\n(Don Fortner)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All the ravishments of\nHis presence and love!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(J. C. Philpot,\n“Meditations on 1 Peter”)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Receiving the end of\nyour faith, the salvation<\/p>\n\n\n\n

of your souls.” 1 Peter\n1:9<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is to be compared with\nthe salvation of the<\/p>\n\n\n\n

soul? What are riches,\nhonors, health, long life?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are all the pleasures\nwhich the world can<\/p>\n\n\n\n

offer, sin promise, or the\nflesh enjoy? What is all<\/p>\n\n\n\n

that men call good or great?\nWhat is everything<\/p>\n\n\n\n

which the outward eye has\nseen, or natural ear<\/p>\n\n\n\n

heard, or has entered into\nthe carnal heart of man<\/p>\n\n\n\n

–put side by side with\nbeing saved by Jesus with<\/p>\n\n\n\n

an everlasting salvation?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consider what we are saved\nfrom–as well as<\/p>\n\n\n\n

what we are saved unto.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From a burning hell–to a\nblissful heaven!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From endless wrath–to\neternal glory!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From the dreadful company of\ndevils and damned<\/p>\n\n\n\n

spirits, mutually tormenting\nand tormented–to the<\/p>\n\n\n\n

blessed companionship of the\nglorified saints, all<\/p>\n\n\n\n

perfectly conformed in body\nand soul to the image<\/p>\n\n\n\n

of Christ, with thousands\nand tens of thousands of<\/p>\n\n\n\n

holy angels! And, above all,\nto seeing the glorious<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Son of God as He is, in all\nthe perfection of His beauty,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

and all the ravishments of\nHis presence and love!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To be done forever with . .\n.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

all the sorrows, troubles,\nand afflictions of this life;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

all the pains and aches of\nthis poor clay tabernacle;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

all the darkness, bondage,\nand misery of the body of<\/p>\n\n\n\n

sin and death–to be\nperfectly holy in body and soul,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

being in both without spot,\nor blemish–and ever to<\/p>\n\n\n\n

enjoy uninterrupted union\nand communion with God!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

O what a heaven lies before\nthe children of God!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By His wounds we are healed (J. C. Philpot, “Steps of Thankful Praise” 1865) Sin has thoroughly diseased us, and poisoned our very blood. Sin has diseased our understanding, so as to disable it from receiving the truth. Sin has diseased our conscience, so as to make it dull and heavy, and undiscerning of right […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5738","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bulletin-editions"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5738","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5738"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5738\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5739,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5738\/revisions\/5739"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5738"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5738"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5738"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}