{"id":6224,"date":"2022-07-31T08:11:05","date_gmt":"2022-07-31T08:11:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/?p=6224"},"modified":"2022-08-09T10:17:45","modified_gmt":"2022-08-09T10:17:45","slug":"bulletin-edition-july-2022-4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/?p=6224","title":{"rendered":"Bulletin Edition August 2022"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Come and eat!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Horatius Bonar<\/a>, “The Bread of Immortality”)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I am the bread of life.” John 6:48<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I am the living bread<\/strong>.” John 6:51<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All food is for the sustaining of life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jesus announces Himself <\/em>as the bread which will\nsustain<\/p>\n\n\n\n

the life of the soul. Not merely some doctrine<\/em>–but Himself<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He is the bread; not merely bread–but the<\/em>bread–the\none<\/p>\n\n\n\n

true bread; without whom the soul cannot grow, nor its life<\/p>\n\n\n\n

be sustained. For only by this life-sustaining bread<\/strong>,\ncan<\/p>\n\n\n\n

such sickly souls be nourished. As such, Jesus is necessary<\/p>\n\n\n\n

to the soul as its food–its bread.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Outside of Him, there is no nourishment, no sustenance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He feeds–He alone. He feeds us on Himself! <\/strong>All\nelse is<\/p>\n\n\n\n

husks, or mere air and vapour. Jesus, in His glorious person,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

is our food<\/strong>–the true bread and sustenance of the\nsoul;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

the hidden manna.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jesus applies various names to it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  “bread from heaven”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  “true bread”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  “the bread of God”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  “bread of life”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  “living bread.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All these are names indicative of its excellence, its power,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

its suitableness. It is the very bread we need; no other<\/p>\n\n\n\n

would do. Jesus is the soul’s eternal food<\/strong>. This<\/p>\n\n\n\n

storehouse is inexhaustible–and ever accessible!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Come as you are, poor prodigal, starving on husks–come<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

and eat! <\/strong>Eat, O friends!Eat, and live!\nEat, and be strong!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eat, and be in soul health!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden\nmanna.” \u2013Revelation 2:17<\/p>\n\n\n\n

J.C.Philpot<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How often God’s word is to you a sealed book; how often you hear\nfrom the pulpit the most encouraging preaching, yet get no encouragement from\nit; how often you hear Christ held forth in his Person, blood and righteousness,\nand go away as you came, without any sensible relief. What is the reason?\nBecause you are overcome. Unbelief, bondage, darkness of mind, insensibility\nrest upon your spirit, and all these keep you from feeding upon the manna.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But sometimes a gracious word comes over all these hills and\nmountains of unbelief, bondage, doubt and fear, and as this word drops into\nyour heart, you begin to shout victory over all your foes and fears. Then the\nword of God begins to open itself up in its sweetness and blessedness. The Lord\nof the house brings out the hidden manna, and the word of God is made sweet and\nprecious to the soul.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes you read the word of God as a dry and barren task to\nsatisfy conscience. When is that? When you are shut up in unbelief and bondage.\nBut at other times the word of God is read with pleasure, and it is to you the\njoy and rejoicing of your heart. This is when you can believe it; and thus\nfaith turns the word of God into manna. But if you are barren, then the word of\nGod is barren; if dead, the word is dead; if cold and lifeless, the word is so\ntoo. But when the scene changes, when the clouds are dispersed, then you see\nlight in God’s light. Then it is a blessed Bible, a precious book, full of\nsweet promises and encouraging invitations. It is in this way the manna is\ngiven to the overcomer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What an angel’s tongue never can unfold!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(from Winslow’s, “The Glory of Christ in Heaven”)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is splendid when we are led by the Eternal Spirit<\/p>\n\n\n\n

into a heartfelt acquaintance with the riches and<\/p>\n\n\n\n

fullness of the gospel. There is no spiritual need<\/p>\n\n\n\n

of the soul which the provisions of the gospel of<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jesus do not meet….<\/p>\n\n\n\n

for our wounds it is a balm;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

for our fears it is a cordial;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

for our battles it is an armour;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

for our soul’s hunger and thirst it is manna<\/p>\n\n\n\n

from heaven and water from the Rock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“O Lord, we bless You for the gospel! It is a<\/p>\n\n\n\n

feast of fat things, a mine of inexhaustible<\/p>\n\n\n\n

wealth, a spring of all consolation, a good<\/p>\n\n\n\n

and pleasant land, bathed in the sunshine<\/p>\n\n\n\n

and laden with the fruit of eternal summer.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

O beloved, into what a rich, spiritual condition<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jesus brings us when He brings us into experimental<\/p>\n\n\n\n

acquaintance with Himself! Oh, to know Jesus;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

to have the least degree of a spiritual, a heartfelt<\/p>\n\n\n\n

acquaintance with Christ; a full Christ, a present<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Christ, a compassionate Christ, a powerful Christ;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

is what an angel’s tongue never can unfold!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

But, beloved, we would have you know into what<\/p>\n\n\n\n

spiritual wealth, bounty, and peace you are brought<\/p>\n\n\n\n

when in the least degree you are enabled to realise<\/p>\n\n\n\n

what Christ is to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you, amid life’s trials and earth’s cares,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

consider the possessions you have in Jesus?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What a Saviour!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What a Redeemer!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What a Brother!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What a Friend!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What an Advocate!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What a Counsellor!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What a loving heart loves you!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What a sleepless eye watches over you!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What a full hand supplies you!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What a present help in every time of need!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Untiring Delight<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who ever called the ‘sea’ monotonous? Even to the mariner,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

traveling over it as he does, sometimes by the year together,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

there is always a freshness in the undulation of the waves,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

the whiteness of the foam of the breaker, the curl of the<\/p>\n\n\n\n

crested billow, and the frolicsome pursuit of every wave by<\/p>\n\n\n\n

its long train of brothers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which of us has ever complained that the ‘sun’ gave us but little<\/p>\n\n\n\n

variety? What though at morn he yoke the same steeds and flash<\/p>\n\n\n\n

from his car the same golden glory, climb with dull uniformity the<\/p>\n\n\n\n

summit of the skies, then drive his chariot downward and bid his<\/p>\n\n\n\n

flaming coursers steep their burning fetlocks in the western deep?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Or who among us would complain loathingly of the ‘bread’ which<\/p>\n\n\n\n

we eat, that it palls upon the sense of taste? We eat it today,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

tomorrow, the next day; we have eaten it for years which are<\/p>\n\n\n\n

passed; still the one unvarying food is served upon the table,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

and bread remains the staff of life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Translate these earthly experiences into heavenly mysteries–<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If Christ is your food and your spiritual bread; if Christ is the<\/p>\n\n\n\n

sun, your heavenly light; if Christ is the sea of love in which<\/p>\n\n\n\n

your passions swim and all your joys are found, it is not possible<\/p>\n\n\n\n

that you as Christian men should complain of monotony in Him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He is “the same yesterday, and today, and forever”;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

and yet He has the “dew of His youth.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He is like the manna in the golden pot which was always the<\/p>\n\n\n\n

same; but He is also like the manna which came down from<\/p>\n\n\n\n

heaven every morning new.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He is as the rod of Moses, which was dry and changed not its<\/p>\n\n\n\n

shape; but He is also to us as the rod of Aaron, which buds,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

and blossoms, and brings forth almonds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Surely God is good to Israel\u2014to those who are pure in heart!<\/strong>
\n
\n(“Every Day!” Author unknown, 1872)
\n
\n\u201cHappy art thou, O Israel! Who is like unto thee, O people saved by the\nLORD!” Deuteronomy 33:29
\n                                                 
\nWere God’s ancient people distinguished among all nations for their privileges\nand blessings? Then much more happy are God’s spiritual Israel<\/em>.\nThey are redeemed from a viler slavery than that of Egypt, and with a more\nglorious manifestation of power and grace.
\n
\nBelievers now have not the tabernacle <\/em>in the wilderness, nor\nthe temple <\/em>at Jerusalem\u2014but they have all the precious realities <\/em>typified\nby them. They are not mere outer-court worshipers, but have access to the Holy\nof holies through the blood of the Lamb.
\n
\nThey are not fed with the manna of the desert, but with “the True Bread of\nHeaven.”
\n
\nThey do not drink of the waters of the rock of Horeb, but of the river of life\nflowing from the Rock, Christ Jesus.
\n
\nThey do not have in prospect an earthly Canaan, but a heavenly city, whose\nbuilder and Maker is God.
\n
\nThey do not have a temporal inheritance\u2014but an incorruptible, undefiled and\nunfading inheritance!
\n
\nIsrael of old had the shadows<\/em>, Christians now have the substance<\/em>.
\n
\n“Surely God is good to Israel\u2014to those who are pure in heart!<\/strong>”\nPsalm 73:1<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth!<\/strong>”\nJohn 1:14
\n
\n(Charles Spurgeon<\/a>)
\n
\nBeliever, you <\/em>can bear your testimony that Christ is the only\nbegotten of the Father<\/strong>.
\nYou can say, “He is truly divine. He has done that for me, which none but\na God could do!
\nHe has . . .
\n  subdued my stubborn will,
\n  melted a heart of adamant,
\n  opened gates of brass,
\n  and snapped bars of iron!
\nHe has turned my mourning into laughter, and my desolation into joy!
\nHe has made my heart rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory!
\nLet others think as they will of Him\u2014to me <\/em>He must be the only\nbegotten of the Father!
\n
\nAnd He is full of grace<\/strong>. Ah! had He not been, then I would never\nhave been saved! He drew me when I struggled to escape from His grace; and when\nat last I came all trembling like a condemned culprit to His mercy-seat He\nsaid, “Your sins which are many, are all forgiven!”
\n
\nAnd He is full of truth<\/strong>. True have His promises been, not one has\nfailed.
\n
\nI bear witness that . . .
\n  never any servant <\/em>had such a master as I have;
\n  never any brother <\/em>had such a kinsman as He has been to\nme;
\n  never any spouse <\/em>had such a husband as Christ has been\nto my soul;
\n  never any sinner <\/em>had a better Saviour;
\n  never any mourner <\/em>had a better comforter than Christ\nhas been to my heart.
\n
\nI desire none beside Him!
\nIn life<\/em>, He is my true life.
\nIn death<\/em>, He shall be the death of death.
\nIn poverty<\/em>, Christ is my true riches.
\nIn darkness<\/em>, He is my sun.
\nHe is my manna <\/em>in this poor wilderness world.
\nHe shall be heavenly manna when I come to the heavenly Canaan.
\n
\nJesus is to me . . .
\n  all grace<\/em>,and no wrath;
\n  all truth<\/em>, and no falsehood.
\nAnd of grace <\/em>and truth <\/em>He is full, infinitely\nfull!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The joys of that eternal banqueting house!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

John MacDuff<\/a>
\n
\n“He brought me to the banqueting house, and His banner over me was\nlove!” Song of Solomon 2:4
\n
\n“HE brought me!” <\/em>All of grace! He justifies! He\nglorifies! The banqueting house is entered with shoutings, saying, “Grace,\ngrace unto it!”
\n<\/em>
\nBeliever, contemplate the journey <\/em>ended, the course <\/em>finished,\nthe victory <\/em>won. Seated at the marriage feast of the Lamb in\nglory, guest talking to guest with bounding hearts\u2014recounting their Lord’s\ndealings on earth\u2014the watchword circulating from tongue to tongue, “He\nhas done all things well!”<\/em>
\n
\nAngels and archangels, too, will be participants in that banquet of glory; and\nbright seraphs, who never knew what it was to have a heart of sin or to shed a\ntear of sorrow. But, for this reason, there will be one element of joy peculiar\nto the Redeemed, into which the other unfallen guests cannot enter\u2014the\n“joy of contrast.” How will this present world’s “great\ntribulation” augment the bliss of a world at once sinless and sorrowless!\nHow will earth’s <\/em>woe-worn cheek, and sin-stricken spirit, and\ntear-dimmed eye\u2014enhance the glories of that perfect state, where there is not\nthat symbol of sadness, nor the solitary trace of one lingering tear-drop!
\n
\nMy soul, seek often to ponder, in the midst of your days of sadness, the\njoys of that eternal banqueting house!<\/strong> “He will wipe every tear\nfrom their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or\npain!”
\nOne moment <\/em>at that banquet table,
\none crumb <\/em>of the heavenly manna,
\none draught <\/em>from the river of life,
\nand all the bitter experiences of the valley of tears<\/em> will be\nobliterated and forgotten!
\n
\nLook upwards even now, and behold your dear Lord preparing for you this\nglorious “feast of fat things!” “Do not be troubled. There are\nmany rooms in My Father’s home, and I am going to prepare <\/em><\/strong>a\nplace for you. When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you\nwill always be with Me\u2014where I am!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We should be content with His daily allowance!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

2Kings\n25:29 And changed his (Jehoiachin) prison garments: and he did eat\nbread continually before him all the days of his life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2Kings\n25:30 And his allowance was<\/em> a continual allowance given him of\nthe king, a daily rate for every day, all the days of his life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jehoiachin was not sent away from the king’s palace with a\n‘supply’ to last him for months, but his provision was given to him as a daily\npension<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Herein he well pictures the happy position of all the Lord’s\npeople. A daily portion <\/em>is all that a man really needs. We do\nnot need tomorrow’s supplies; for that day has not yet dawned, and its needs\nare as yet unborn. The thirst which we may suffer in the month of June\u2014does not\nneed to be quenched in February, for we do not feel it yet. If we have enough\nfor each day as the days arrive\u2014we shall never know want. Sufficient for the\nday\u2014is all that we can enjoy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We cannot eat or drink or wear more than the day’s supply of food\nand clothing; a surplus gives us the care of storing it, and the anxiety of\nwatching against a thief. “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we\neat?’ <\/em>or ‘What shall we drink?<\/em>‘ or ‘What shall we\nwear?’ <\/em>For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly\nFather knows that you need them!” Matthew 6:31-32<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One staff aids a traveler\u2014but a bundle of staffs is a heavy\nburden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Enoughis not only as good as a feast\u2014but is all that\nthe greatest glutton can truly enjoy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Enough <\/em>is all that we should expect\u2014a craving for\nmore than this is ungrateful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When our Father does not give us more<\/em>\u2014we should be\ncontent with His daily allowance<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jehoiachin’s case is ours\u2014we have . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  a sure <\/em>portion;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  a portion given to us by the King<\/em>;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  a gracious <\/em>portion;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  and a perpetual <\/em>portion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Surely here is ground for thankfulness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beloved Christian reader, in matters of grace<\/em> you\nneed a daily supply. You have no store of grace. Day by day <\/em>you\nmust seek help from above. It is a very sweet assurance\u2014that a daily portion is\nprovided for you. In the Word, through the ministry, by meditation, in prayer,\nand waiting upon God\u2014you shall receive renewed strength. In Jesus, all needful\nthings are laid up for you. Then enjoy your continual allowance!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Never go hungry\u2014while the daily bread of grace<\/em> is\non the table of mercy!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Give us each day, our daily bread.” Luke 11:3<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“As your days\u2014so shall your strength be.” Deuteronomy\n33:25<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Come and eat! (Horatius Bonar, “The Bread of Immortality”) “I am the bread of life.” John 6:48 “I am the living bread.” John 6:51 All food is for the sustaining of life. Jesus announces Himself as the bread which will sustain the life of the soul. Not merely some doctrine–but Himself. He is the bread; not merely bread–but thebread–the one true […]<\/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-6224","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\/6224","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=6224"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6224\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6229,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6224\/revisions\/6229"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6224"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6224"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6224"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}